The Confessions of the Iscariot Jerikor Veorraent
by the son of duress
Summary: (Completed) Based around the Hellsing's Iscariot Organisation, explores a possible darker side to the organisation. Contains violence, but not overly graphic or bloody
1. Chapter 1: Introductions

Tales of Jerikor Veorraent Chapter 1  
  
To his Eminence,  
The following is a report compiled by myself, your most humble servant, describing the shadowy organisation that is the Vatican's Special Task Force 13, otherwise named the Iscariot Organisation. This secretive task force functions outside of any authority save that of the Pope himself, and their fanatical leader Enrico Maxwell. The purpose of the Iscariot Organisation is to destroy abominations in the eyes of God, that is Nosferatu, Lycanthropes, and Daemons, as well as mortal foes such as Satanic Cults, terrorists and anyone threatening or targeting the Holy Church. Its methods are extreme, almost always using violence through weapons like axes and swords as well as firearms. It is also known that members of the Iscariot Organisation are also priest and clerics of the church proper. How can such violent men and women be part of a non- aggressive church? It is rumoured that they even employ magick and sorcery amongst their armoury. Even amongst the ranks of their Paladins (so are called the brothers of the order) they have several non-humans, most commonly the regenerator. A human who either has the gift of, or have been cybernetically enhanced to be able to regenerate wounds in an instant, making them almost indestructible. They apparently even have several Nosferatu and lycanthropes amongst their number, the very creatures they claim to hunt! Obviously the hypocritical Iscariot Organisation is a threat to the reputation of the Church, and should their existence become known, as well as their quarry and methods, then the Church would lose all credence to the outside world. It is my opinion that the Iscariot Organisation should be disbanded immediately, and their vile creations destroyed, before they fulfil the destiny of their name, and betray the Church like Judas betrayed Christ...  
  
Paladin Jerikor Veorraent lowered the report and laughed mirthlessly. His huge 7 and a half-foot frame towered over the occupants of the room. He was slightly skinny, but his movements are sure and graceful, as well as containing a tensed strength. His unusual purple eyes gleamed with inner fire behind mirrored, sunglasses. A shapeless wide-brimmed black hat was crammed atop his unruly mass of long green hair, unusual in the wide streak of white that ran through it. He wore pure white clothes, a simple shirt and pants, a priest's collar fastened around his neck. A full-length black leather duster shrouded his enormous frame. His long, wiry arms ended in hands covered with white fingerless gloves, his left bore a pentacle with arcane symbols in the spaces, and around the edge in Latin was written "In Nomine Patris et Fili et Spiritus Sancti (1)" and a cross was in the middle of the pentacle, whilst his right hand bore a cross, over which was written "Speak with Dead". His fingered glittered with all manner of rings, all bearing symbols such as crosses, pentacles, yin-yangs and chaos stars. Around his neck a large silver cross hung, as well as a smaller Inquisitor's cross. His voice was a deep baritone, with the hint of an Irish lilt accenting his voice.  
Jerikor turned to the other person in the room, Enrico Maxwell, who had summoned him. "Do you want me to kill the person who wrote this?" he asked.  
"He has already been taken care of," Enrico said.  
"Shame, I would have liked to hang him upside down over a pack of ravenous ghouls, and watched him disbelieve them then!" He chuckled at the thought of the priest dangling over the pack of ghouls, and then switched the priest with Enrico.  
As if sensing his thoughts Enrico snapped, "You're not allowed to harm members of the church!"  
"Hmmm? If you say so, master" he said the last word sarcastically, "So why did you summon me? Surely not to exchange pleasantries?"  
"It is never a pleasure to see you," spat Enrico, "There is a FREAK outbreak in Venice, you need to stop it."  
"Need?" Jerikor laughed, "Send your pet regenerators, I have better things to do than deal with boring FREAKs."  
"I have," Enrico said grimly, "3, none have returned."  
"Ohh, what a shame"  
"This is a direct order from your master!" Shouted Enrico, spittle flying from his mouth.  
"Okay I heard you. That's great, if they can defeat your regenerators, maybe they might just prove a challenge to alleviate my boredom."  
"You will go and destroy this unholy blight in Holy Rome's blessed territory leave none alive, smite them with holy rage, send them to the deepest pits of hell. Sever their souls and send them screaming back to the Devil, who they serve, you are a holy instrument of divine justice, and you shall..." Enrico raved.  
Jerikor left, half way through Enrico's rave, who didn't notice him leaving, and continued on. What was important to Jerikor was that for the first time in years, the restraints on his powers had been lifted, and it felt wonderful. He exulted as he felt almost forgotten power course through his veins, penetrating his very being. He laughed manically, "Excellent, they must be powerful indeed if they give me this much freedom, I could destroy the Vatican and everyone in it with this power." He laughed again, even more manically, "I must remember to thank the enemies before I destroy them, so they can understand the joy they have brought me. I am going to enjoy myself. Venice, ehh? The city of love, if I still have time, I might be able to enjoy some human company." He laughed again as he walked into and through a wall, leaving nothing but the ghost of his laughter ringing through the halls.  
  
He blinked and he was in Venice, on a waterbus, as all the main roads in Venice were in fact rivers. The people around looked startled, both at his height and appearance, and at his sudden apparition in their midst. He kissed the cross hanging around his neck and said, "Deus Benedict (2)" Getting off, he headed towards the main park, where the local police, despite their lack expertise, was barely containing the FREAK outbreak. Venice hadn't changed much since he had last been here, some two hundred years ago, although he never took much notice of mortal time. He noticed a large increase in cheap hotels, brothels and prostitutes standing paralysed in lamplight. This is what happens when the world in left in human hands, they change the one of the most beautiful cities in the world into a huge brothel, he thought sadly. Soon, he arrived at the park, it's entrances blocked of by police cars, as police shot at the ghouls emerging from the park.  
  
"Laudans invocabo Dominium, et ab inimicis meis salvo ero, (3)" Jerikor intoned, leaping over the police cars, he heard the shouts of warning from the police but paid them no heed, indeed, no-one seemed overly eager to try and stop the seven and a half foot priest. The ghouls immediately reacted to his presence, reaching out for him, trying to pull him down and feast on his body. His punches disintegrated ghouls wherever he struck, turning them to ash. Soon a pile of ash surrounded him, his enemies defeated.  
"Hmm? I thought this was going to be interesting, a challenge. Ghouls are ghouls; so boring" Jerikor muttered to himself.  
He proceeded deeper into the park, destroying any ghouls he came across. He arrived in the middle of the park, where a figure in a grey overcoat sat smoking cigarettes. He looked up when Jerikor arrived, his red eyes giving away his true nature.  
"Nice night ehh, Nosferatu?" Jerikor asked the vampire.  
"What are you?" the figure demanded.  
"Ohh, no time for pleasantries?"  
"Are you another measly regenerator sent by a hypocritical church? A mere man cannot kill an immortal you know?" the figure said, standing and crushing his cigarette under his heel.  
"Ohh, I'm like those you fought before," replied Jerikor, slowly drawing his guns, one from a shoulder holster and the other from the hip. The guns were heavily modified Mark XIX Desert Eagles, modified to match his size, they were about 40 centimetres long and covered with religious iconography. Chambering .50AE calibre bullets made of silver and full of blessed quicksilver, each clip contained 7 bullets.  
"Indeed, you must be, I can feel something...odd about you." The figure said, drawing his own weapon, a 9mm Heckler and Koch MP5.  
"Shall we start, or shall we just wait until sunrise to save me the trouble."  
"I'm ready when you are, Priest of Judas," the vampire snarled.  
  
They both moved. The vampire jumped back, his MP5 spitting a hail of bullets in Jerikor's direction. Jerikor turned side on, and raising his pistol and firing a single shot. The casing fell to the floor, with a dull clink; whilst the bullet blew the vampire's leg clean off. The vampire's bullets pattered off Jerikor like rain. The vampire tried to land, but without his leg, he fell on his back and tried to rise, his eyes wide with fear.  
  
"What are you?" he stammered as Jerikor stepped on his chest, pinning him to the ground. The vampire's gun spat out more bullets at point blank range, but had no effect on Jerikor. Jerikor shoved his gun in the vampire's face.  
"A priest of Judas. Abi in diabolus rem! (4)" Jerikor said, pulling the trigger. The vampire's head exploded, and his body turned to dust. Jerikor lit a cigarette, and started thinking. The restraints had not been re-established, so obviously he had not finished his mission, yet there were no other FREAKs in the park, unless they were very well concealed, so obviously he had to find them.  
  
"Oh well, the enemy will show itself soon" Jerikor said to himself, re- holstering his pistols. He strolled out of the park, casually destroying the ghouls who crossed his path. He decided to walk around Venice and see what his presence drew out. He did not have to wait long. An hour later, as he walked down a back alley, a hail of machine gun fire impacted into his body.  
"Bah, how many times do I have to tell you," he yelled, spinning and drawing throwing knives from various parts of his clothing, "Guns don't work!" He hurled his knives at his assailants, all minor vampires; dust flew as the dozen ambushers were destroyed. He walked on, leaving nothing but dust and bullets in his wake. He was subjected to three more attacks, until something interesting happened. Until then, the foes had been weak, low-powered vampires, albeit a lot of them, and well equipped. He might not like the regenerators, but he could not doubt their effectiveness, he had faced nothing that could have destroyed a regenerator.  
  
He stopped. He sensed something different. "Hmm, you're not very interesting opponents" he said to the apparently empty street, "I'm still bored."  
A shadow formed and stepped into his path.  
'Ohh, trying to scare me with half-formed shadows now? I have better things to do with my time" Jerikor said, throwing a knife at the shadow. The shadow blurred, and the knife clanged off the cobblestones.  
"Hmm? Maybe someone interesting at last!" Jerikor said, laughing, he hurled another few knives at the shadow that dodged them all.  
"Ahh, excellent, most entertaining, you're very fast." He said. The shadow blurred again, and moved so fast that even Jerikor couldn't follow it, and a huge two-handed sword descended out of the darkness, trying to decapitate him, he ducked it and kicked out at the shadow's legs. The shadow somersaulted over his kick, and using the momentum of the kick, Jerikor spun and struck the shadow in the back as it landed, blasting it off it's feet, and into the wall of a nearby building.  
"You're fast, but so am I. You can't defeat me with moves like that!" Jerikor said as the shadow regained its feet, "But you will suffice as entertainment for tonight. Come on," he continued moving towards the shadow. The shadow did not speak, and tried to impale the advancing Jerikor on the tip of his sword. Jerikor sidestepped, throwing a spinning back- fist, the shadow back peddled and sliced diagonally, Jerikor dropped and rolled to his left, the sword whistled over his head. Still crouching, Jerikor unleashed a low spinning kick, but the shadow jumped over it, and as he fell, slashed downwards, Jerikor rolled again, the sword embedded itself in the ground next to him. He kicked out, and heard a grunt as he connected with the shadow's torso. He quickly followed through, unleashing a flurry of punches and kicks at the retreating shadow. He finally got a telling blow through, his hand puncturing the shadow's torso, where it's heart should be. The shadow stiffened and turned to ash.  
"Ohh? That's it, I was hoping for some entertainment." Jerikor laughed. Suddenly, he felt red-hot pain, as the shadow's blade scored a deep wound across his back. The shadow continued his attacks, slashing several deep cuts across his back, which left Jerikor dripping blood from many wounds.  
"This is great!" Jerikor exulted. "Thanks to you, my boredom is gone, I classify you as a class 7 threat. Releasing restraints on functions C through E, continue until target is silenced," Jerikor intoned.  
The shadow took a step back, the foe should have been dead, but here he was, muttering about restraints. The shadow advanced, and it's sword descended in a brutal arc, whistling towards Jerikor's head...then it impacted with a nimbus of light that had surrounded Jerikor. The sword struggled to penetrate the light and then snapped in two, the shadow fell back, stunned by the turn of events. Its foe should be dead, but what was this power?  
Jerikor bent over, clutching his sides, the wounds in his back closed themselves. Brilliant white wings sprouted from his back, sweeping up, they lifted Jerikor off the ground. The nimbus of light that surrounded Jerikor grew even brighter, becoming painful to look at. The shadow felt its form being swept away by the brilliant white light, but maintained its hold on a corporeal body.  
"Know Heaven's wrath, Creature of darkness!" Laughed Jerikor, as the light brightened around his hand. Then with a slashing gesture, a beam of light shot from Jerikor's hand and cut the shadow in half. Several lampposts and a building were caught in the light, and they disintegrated at contact from the beam. The light faded from around Jerikor, and his wings folded, draping his body like a cloak before disappearing.  
  
"Ne perdas cum impiis, Dues animam neam, et cum viris sanguinum vitam meam (5). In Nomine Patris, et Fili, et Spiritus Sancti, (1)" Prayed Jerikor. The restraints quickly re-established themselves, and Jerikor faded into nothing...  
  
Only to reappear in Enrico's office. "Get back to your quarters," snapped Enrico. Jerikor smiled grimly, and left. No one liked him; they thought him lower than the monsters they hunted. Normally they would of hunted him down and tried to destroy him centuries ago, but he had made a deal with the then-present head of the Iscariot organisation, to save himself, he had bound himself to their will, their eternal, unwilling servant. A Fallen Angel of Heaven.  
  
Latin Translations (1): In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit (2): God Bless (3): Praising will I call upon the Lord, and I shall be saved from my enemies (4): Go to the devil (5): Take not away my soul, O God, with the wicked, nor my life with men of blood 


	2. Chapter 2: A New Enemy Emerges

Tales of Jerikor Veorraent Chapter 2: A New Enemy Emerges  
  
DISCLAIMER: I do not own the Iscariot organisation nor do I own Enrico Maxwell, or any section of the Vatican. I only borrow them, but I have no intention to return them.  
  
I speak now of the Iscariot's most secret weapon. A being so foul and unholy that my hand shudders with suppressed rage and disgust as I write its name: Jerikor, fallen angel. Lore has it that he fought with the Archangel Michael himself against the hordes of Lucifer in ages past. Why he was banished is unknown, but he was considered amongst the foremost of God's warriors. A glorious fighter of the Most Holy Lord. How far he has fallen.  
  
Jerikor scowled at the women in front of him. She was attractive, he had to admit, short red hair and sparkling green eyes. Her name was Tess and she was new to the Iscariots, in fact she had not yet completed her training. She openly disdained the habit of a Nun, instead wearing a simple shirt and jeans. Absently Jerikor wondered why the superiors allowed this transgression, but he had to grudgingly respect her, she had found him, tracked him through the dim shadowy corridors of the Vatican, and despite his best efforts to evade her, she had found him. She seemed drawn to him, and although he was loath to admit, he to her, she had spirit and an attitude a mild wide. He had seen one of the superiors try to force her into a habit, and she had resisted admirably, despite his far greater strength, she had kicked him in the groin and quickly ran of, leaving the priest in the middle of the corridor, clutching his groin and a habit, not the best image for tourists to see Jerikor thought, chuckling.  
  
She stared at him, and was getting on his nerves, "Didn't anyone ever tell you it is rude to stare at someone?" he snapped.  
"So who are you?" she asked, ignoring his question.  
"I am someone who would rather be else where," he said bitterly, striding of.  
She trotted alongside him, she was short, maybe 5 foot and a half foot or so, and Jerikor towered above her, his seven and a half foot frame dwarfing her, yet she was not intimidated.  
"Are you one of those regenerators?" she asked, her voice tinged with awe.  
"Ha ha!" laughed Jerikor, "One of those Holy Templars," he spat, " No lass, I am something far more terrible than a mere regenerator."  
"So who are you?" she asked again.  
Thankfully Jerikor was receiving summons from Enrico, "If you will excuse me, Dues Benedict (1)" he said, walking through the wall before she could reply. He enjoyed her look of shock across her face and sharp intake of breath as he disappeared right in front of her eyes. Although Enrico's summons were becoming painful, he couldn't resist sinking the top half of his body through the ceiling above her.  
"I'll be seeing you around" he said. He chuckled as she looked around wildly for the source of the voice. He chuckled again and faded away, reappearing in Enrico's office.  
  
He appeared dressed in his normal apparel, white shirt and pants, with a black jacket shrouding his frame. The silver cross swung at his neck, and his broad-brimmed black hat was tilted rakishly over his head. Enrico looked displeased, as he always did when around Jerikor.  
"You called master, and I am here, ever your servant," Jerikor said sarcastically.  
"Shut up! I don't have time today for your taunts or games, Fallen!" snapped Enrico.  
"Oh, another blight against God, that you and your precious organisation can't deal with," mocked Jerikor.  
"Not exactly. One of the recruits is especially gifted, and I have been ordered by the Archdeacon and the Holy Pope himself," Jerikor ahhhed sarcastically, Enrico continued ignoring Jerikor's taunt, "That you will take over her training from now on."  
"Wait a moment, HER?" asked Jerikor, a bad feeling rising in his mind.  
Enrico looked spitefully happy, "She's a real handful apparently, she kicked a priest in the groin when he tried to make her wear a habit." Jerikor groaned, "Yes, she's a real handful, this Tessera Ardroimas," Enrico finished.  
"Not her," groaned Jerikor.  
"Go, Fallen, your pupil awaits your presence in the main hall." Enrico said, grinning spitefully.  
Feeling cheated, Jerikor did not reply, just faded through the wall without a single good come back.  
  
Jerikor decided to apparate outside the main hall, and walk in normally. Sure enough Tess was waiting, standing in the middle of the hall, her normal jeans and shirt had been replaced by a Nun's habit, in which she was clearly uncomfortable. Jerikor strode up to her, and when she turned to see who was coming her jaw dropped.  
"All right, apparently you're good, so good in fact, that they have given me the responsibility of training you beyond the normal levels. I will oversee all your training and education from here on. Feel proud, I have only trained seven others, and they have made legends of themselves within our order" For all the wrong reasons thought Jerikor, but he did not say it, instead he asked, "Any questions?"  
"So who actually are you?" she asked, for the third time that day.  
He brushed aside her question, "I am your teacher, address me as such."  
"What will you teach me?"  
"Everything," he said simply. "Which will take a while, so I suggest we start immediately."  
As he led her out of the main hall, he walked towards one of the training rooms, he continued, "There are only two rules when under my tutelage."  
"Umm, okay," she said  
"Firstly don't ask about me, you won't like the answers."  
"And the second?" she asked  
"Secondly, don't wear a habit to training, you can't move well enough."  
"Okay"  
"You have half a minute to get changed and be back here."  
She gaped at him. "Twenty-five seconds". She took off at a dead sprint. He chuckled and strolled into the training room. It was full of sparring men and women, some were regenerators, and were using real blades against each other whilst others sparred with wooden weapons. As they became aware of Jerikor's presence the fighting slowly stopped. Many looked fearfully around, obviously in awe of Jerikor's size. Suddenly a man strode to the front of the group, clutching his holy blades. A look of righteous hate was stamped on his features. He strode up to Jerikor and snarled, "Begone Devil's progeny! This place is only for the Pure!"  
Jerikor looked down at the man and spoke to no one in particular, "Who is this idiot?"  
"I am Anrath, Holy Regenerator, and I will defeat you, Daemon servant."  
"I wish you'd stop with the name calling, let me ask you, is the Pope or Enrico a daemon?"  
The man looked a little unsure, "No of course not."  
"Ah good, since I serve them, I was beginning to think we switched sides."  
"Pah! There is no we, and you do not fool me with your seeming obedience." Anrath spat. "I will destroy your blight upon God's Holy Creation here and now" He lunged at Jerikor with his Holy blades.  
Jerikor easily dodged and laughed, "I'm not allowed to hurt members of he church, but if you continue..." Jerikor ducked under another swipe, then grinned ferally, "I guess I'll have to apologise to Enrico latter."  
Anrath lunged again, this time Jerikor did not move. The Holy Blades impacted with his chest, and then bent and snapped in half. Anrath looked at his blades in panic, and then looked at Jerikor, his widening in pure panic. Jerikor grabbed the Regenerator's wrist, and started twisting his arm. The man was on his tiptoes trying to alleviate the pain, and Jerikor kept twisting. He started yelling in pain, and then, still only using one hand; Jerikor lifted Anrath into the air. Anrath screamed, and there was a meaty snap as his arm broke. Jerikor dropped the Regenerator and spoke to the crowd.  
"Remember you may near immortal Regenerators wielding Holy blades, but there is always something more powerful. If you are inept you will be defeated by any foe. This fool," he nudged the whimpering Anrath with his foot, "could not stand up to the weakest ghoul. Get lost all of you, I need to train." No one moved. "Unless you would like to become participants?" There was a mad rush to the door, and soon Jerikor was alone in the deserted training room.  
Jerikor started moving through the dance like steps of the Kung-Fu form. Being an immortal, he had learnt from some the greatest masters of the art. He had perfected many forms in his immortal life. The master's had been able to defeat him in single combat, something no mortal or immortal even could ever do, despite all his advantages and immortality, they had been able to defeat him. They were his happiest memories; he had been just like the other students, all in awe of the amazing skills of their master. He ended the form, and bowed to the memories of his former si-fus (2).  
"Will I learn that?" Tess asked breathless in awe.  
Jerikor admonished himself for not being aware of her presence, then chuckled. "Yes, but I have spent hundreds of years honing my martial arts. I will only teach you the most deadly and useful of the forms."  
"But I won't learn that." She pouted.  
"You're not immortal, so" he began  
"Then make me an immortal," she interrupted, "You're a vampire aren't you?"  
Jerikor burst out laughing, maybe it was better if she thought that, and it was safer than the truth in any regard.  
"What's so funny?" she asked grumpily.  
"I'm not allowed to make new vampires."  
"No one needs to know."  
"They'll know."  
"We can risk it"  
"If there was anyone I'd make into a vampire, it wouldn't be you," she was about to protest, but he cut her off, "It is very painful to live forever;" he said sadly.  
She didn't press the matter anymore. He began to teach her the basics of unarmed combat and with weapons, and to his delight she was a brilliant student, showing capability with most weapons, and he did not have to repeat himself. She showed particular proficiency in knives, and he resolved to train her to use them properly. She was also a decent shot, showing skill in the rifle. They stopped after several hours; she was at the point of exhaustion. As soon as they stopped, she collapsed and immediately fell asleep. Jerikor was about to leave, but in a tender moment, he picked her up and carried her to his cell. He lay her on his cot, which he himself had never used, and as an afterthought, draped a blanket over her. Enrico was summoning him and so Jerikor left the peacefully sleeping Tess, and went to Enrico's office.  
  
He stepped through a painting of the last supper, and walked into the office.  
"For once I would have liked you to use the door," Enrico snapped.  
"Doors are far too bothersome, my method is far more effective, and fun too."  
"You are not here to have fun!"  
"Fun, HAH!" laughed Jerikor, "Like serving the incompetent and impotent Vatican is fun!"  
Enrico turned an alarming shade of purple, "That is blasphemy!" he spat.  
"Ha! I didn't offend God, so it's not blasphemy"  
"Your existence is blasphemy!" snarled Enrico.  
"No arguments from me on that score, but if it is, what does make your existence?"  
Enrico turned abruptly, and threw a book against the wall in rage.  
"Now, now, anger management Enrico, your religion condones violence, remember?" mocked Jerikor. He made to leave, but Enrico halted him with a mental command.  
"You have a guest," grated Enrico, clearly trying hard of restrain his anger.  
"Ohh, who?" Jerikor asked, intrigued, "Who could have business with the Fallen Angel of the Vatican, who supposedly doesn't exist?"  
"The father of your student," smirked Enrico.  
"Hmm, that is surprising." He said thoughtfully, "Does he know of my true nature?"  
"No and he should not learn."  
"I'll try to keep it that way."  
"So, no appearing through the walls, and use the doors for God's sake."  
"Okay, okay, so where is he?" Jerikor asked, moving towards the door.  
"The main training hall, he said he wants to test you."  
"Test me?" Jerikor laughed, "How amusing, how very amusing." He chuckled as he opened the door and headed out.  
"He used to be an Iscariot," Enrico called out.  
"He's a regenerator?"  
"No, he sees them as abominations:"  
"Finally, someone who agrees with me!" Jerikor said, slamming the door on Enrico's reply. That felt good, slamming the door on someone, it had effect. He should use doors more often, he thought as he strolled down to the training area.  
  
The training are was empty of its normal hustle and bustle. Jerikor thought the silence unnatural for it lacked the normal ring of blade on blade, and the grunts of combatants. Jerikor sensed movement behind him, and spun quickly, all he could see was blade descending towards him. He caught the blade in his hands, one on either side. Blood trickled down his wrists and with a swift movement; he snapped the blade in half.  
"Not bad," a gravely voice filled the room. "Not bad at all" The man stepped forward. He was maybe 6 feet tall, although an old man's stoop made him seem shorter. He was heavily muscled though, and it was obvious that he had not let old age wither him, nor had it hampered this human too much; his step still had spring in it. As his face came into view, Jerikor saw it was criss-crossed by many scars, his blue eyes still sparkled though, and his white hair and beard were neatly trimmed and parted.  
"So you would be the one in charge of my daughters education?" he continued in his gravely voice.  
"Yes, I am Paladin Jerikor Veorraent," replied Jerikor.  
"Are you one of those heathen regenerators?" he asked, cold fury glinting in his eyes, yet his voice remained steady.  
How remarkable for a human! Thought Jerikor, he exhibits far more control than most of his kind these days, although Jerikor had not many humans he could talk to, most either loathed him and spat his name and snarled when they talked to him, or they just tried to kill him.  
"No I am not a regenerator, I have not been...altered in any way," Jerikor said, and technically, he thought I'm not actually lying.  
"That is good," said the man, "it is a sad day that the Iscariot organisation stoops to using monsters in our most holy duty."  
"I have told you my name, but you have me at a disadvantage..."  
"I am Father Abram Ardroimas."  
"Your daughter is very gifted" Jerikor complimented him.  
"She is my foster daughter." Said Abram coldly.  
"Of course," muttered Jerikor, "no catholic priest would ever have a family."  
"She is not gifted either, I have trained her from the age of 6 to become an Iscariot. A human Iscariot. But she has disappointed me, she is not as disciplined as I had thought, and they told me that she refuses to wear a habit."  
"Of course not," said Jerikor, "I have personally banned her from wearing a habit."  
"WHAT?" screamed Abram.  
"Of course, discipline is over rated anyway, to be successful, you must retain some individuality."  
"But you..."  
"Hah, old man, no mere human can kill a monster." Jerikor said insultingly.  
"But you said..."  
"Hah," smirked Jerikor, "you only asked if I was a regenerator, you never asked if I was human!"  
"You are..."  
"Something more terrible than you can imagine old man. Now get lost, and don't interfere with the training of my student." Jerikor walked through the wall, disappearing. Slamming doors was nice, but far too...too...too human!  
Behind him, still in the room, Abram was shaking with barely suppressed rage, "The Pope will hear of this, mark my words, Jerikor, your days are numbered," he sputtered.  
  
Back at Jerikor's quarters, Tess woke up to find herself in an unfamiliar cell.  
"This will be your cell from now on, don't tell anyone that you've moved, and don't tell them where to, I want to avoid even more accusations." Jerikor's voice sounded out, before he came into the room, stepping through a bookcase. "It is mine, but since I never sleep and have very few interests, I hardly ever use it."  
The room was large, larger than her cell, and even bigger than her room back at her father's house. The thought of her father struck her.  
"Uhm...my father...he might...come here." She said hesitantly.  
"Him? Do you mean Abram Ardroimas?" she look up startled "I already dealt with him," said Jerikor chuckling.  
"Thanks" she said, looking around the cell once more, but it had nothing in it, save the cot she was lying on, and the bookcase he arrived through. There was a plain table in the middle of the room, with a simple wooden chair. She looked at it, pursing her lips in thought, "Can I add stuff?" she asked.  
"Sure, but you don't know where you are." Laughed Jerikor.  
Tess suddenly realised that there was no door. She looked around in panic.  
"It's simple, you just pull this book here," Jerikor said, tugging at a book, and with a dull creak the bookcase slid open. They left Jerikor's cell. They were in an empty corridor, "This leads to the library," Jerikor said, "and to get back in, merely pull the fourth torch ring from the intersection." He finished, "any questions?"  
"Uhm, where is your coffin," she asked blushing.  
"My what?"  
"Your coffin, where you sleep." She said still blushing.  
"Oh, that," Jerikor said, quickly making up something, "It is in the basement, in a room with silver walls, they put me there when they have had enough of me."  
"Okay" said Tess smiling.  
"Why did you want to know?" Jerikor asked suspiciously.  
"Oh no reason...just curious, that's all!" she said quickly.  
"Hmm, okay, well I bid you good day then," he said, moving towards the wall.  
"Uhm, wait a minute," Tess called out, grabbing his arm.  
"What?" asked Jerikor.  
She hugged him tightly, "Thanks," she said, smiling up at him.  
Jerikor quickly extracted himself from her embrace, by sinking through the floor, "I'd get some sleep if I was you, tonight will last a long time."  
  
Translations (1) God bless (2) Sifu is the Chinese word for teacher or master  
  
Sorry not much happened in that chapter, bit I just had to introduce those two new characters, we'll be seeing more of them in the future. I promise the next chapter will have more fights, and I may have to raise the rating. OOPS I didn't put a disclaimer in the first chapter. Hope no body decides to sue me =) 


	3. Chapter 3: Romace Blossoms Like Blood Af...

Standard disclaimer, I don't own any part of the Iscariot organization, Enrico or Alexander (if I did you'd know all about it heh, heh) I only twist them beyond all recognition. Replies to the feed back from last chapter will be posted on the bottom...thanks! I'm really sorry everyone, but this chapter got away from me, and it's far too long, with a bit too much gore. The ending is a bit rushed, but after 13 pages of drafts I just took the easiest path. That's why the rating will be higher. My muse was really bloodthirsty and must have watched far too much TV before she visited me... Oh well enough of my bitchin lets get this going...  
  
Chapter 3: Romance Blossoms Like Blood After a Gunshot Wound  
  
"Get down, student!" Jerikor yelled as more bullets thudded into and through the meagre cover the desk provided. He returned fire with his customised 40 centimetres, .50AE calibre Mark XIX Dessert Eagles, and was grimly satisfied as screams of pain echoed through the room. His student, Tess Ardroimas, was huddled behind the thickest part of the desk. Her short red hair was dishevelled and her skin tight black clothing, accentuated the curves of her 5 and a half foot body, was covered with powder from the desk. She had equipped herself with a pair of Katar and several fragmentary grenades. The Satanists had somehow managed to acquire some heavy firepower, and therefore the Iscariot organisation had decided to act, before the weapons were used against the faithful. Jerikor had decided to perform the mission for Tess so that she got some field experience.  
"Well student, how do you suggest we defeat these annoyances?" he asked over the sound of gunfire.  
Tess shrugged and yelled back, "I don't know, shot them I guess."  
"The advantage of mortals is that they are far more creative than immortals. Immortals tend to get stuck into patterns, and patterns make you easy to predict, which is fatal in our line of work."  
"Okay, wait a moment," she said, her brow furrowed I thought. Then an idea came to her and she grinned nastily. "Si-Fu, they'll be disabled in 30 seconds."  
"How?"  
"You'll see," she pulled out one of her grenades, and Jerikor's eyes narrowed in recognition. She pulled the pin, but kept the handle pushed in, delaying the three second fuse. Then with a casual toss over her shoulder, she hurled the grenade towards the Satanist's position. There was a dull clink, and one of the men screamed in panic when he saw the grenade arcing towards them, but it was already too late for them. With a loud rumbling explosion that shook the entire complex, the grenade detonated. The screams were drowned out as the cultists were burnt and torn to pieces by the force of the explosion. The silence after the deafening blast was absolute.  
Jerikor turned to Tess, "As always, lacking a certain...subtlety;" he stated.  
"Oh come on, it worked," she pouted.  
"No one is denying your method's effectiveness, but one should always make an attempt at style my dear student," he said, leading Tess past the scattered and burnt remains of their opponents. "The many horrid ways humans can think of to kill each other never ceases to amaze me," Jerikor said sadly.  
Tess gagged at the stench of burnt corpses and she started crying. Jerikor wrapped his arm around her, and quickly led her away from the sight of the bodies. She leaned up against him, dwarfed by his size, still crying. She looked up at him, tears in her eyes.  
That is the first time I have had to kill another human being," she sobbed, hugging him tightly, like clutching a rock to save her from drowning,  
Jerikor hesitated slightly before wrapping his arms around her, locking her into his embrace. He looked down into her eyes and spoke softly, "It is good to see that you feel remorse for killing your human enemies. It means that you are not a mindless automaton, blindly following orders. It separates you from the people we are forced to kill in our work. However, remember this, the men and women you have to kill, they would have no such qualms about killing us. We kill in the name of God"  
Tess looked up at him, "Don't talk to me about God!" she said, trying to pull out of his embrace, but he was far stringer.  
"Listen to me, they would not pause to kill you, me or defenceless families. In fact, they would probably enjoy it. The people we kill have sold their souls, their very humanity they give away for power. Tess, they have no tender feelings, except a lust to kill and destroy. They cannot love, they cannot enjoy life, and so they despise it, and try to destroy it wherever they can."  
Tess sniffed, no longer trying to escape his embrace, "I feel sorry for them"  
"That is good, but do not let your emotions weaken you, otherwise you are useless."  
She looked startled at his comment, and started crying again.  
Jerikor looked down at her, and felt sorry for making her cry. "Remember love when you kill, Tess. It is love that separates you from the people you kill. Love with all your heart, and love life" Tess giggled slightly, "What's so funny?" he asked.  
"You're talking about love, and you're holding me."  
"Would you rather I didn't hold you?"  
"No, it's not that," she said quickly. "It's silly"  
"What is?"  
"I don't even know your name," she said brushing his long green hair out of his eyes. She was so happy in his arms, God she wanted to kiss him. But how can you fall in love with someone, when you don't even know his name, she thought. Yet she did love her si-fu, more than she should. She would love to know him, to penetrate that cloak of mystery that shrouded him and his past so thickly. All she knew for certain was that he was not human, and she was falling in love with him. She had loved him from the first time she had seen him training in one of the dojos. Oh, what her father would think of her, falling in love with a non-human, she didn't want to know.  
  
Suddenly his arms were no longer around her, she looked up, about to protest, but stopped short when she saw the look concentration on his face.  
"Do you that student?" he asked.  
Everything came crashing back on Tess, where they were, what they were doing, and he had not called her Tess, but student.  
"No I don't..." she stopped. She could something. Trampling feet, or to be more precise shuffling feet. "What is it?" she whispered.  
He grinned that manic, slightly psychotic grin of his that usually meant bad things for people or beings that annoyed him. She had grown used to that grin, and his more psychotic episodes when he fought, such as laughing as people shot him. "Zombies" he laughed, reloading his guns, working the slide with his mouth, whilst reloading the other gun one handed. She was jealous of his casual ease with firearms, she herself was hopeless with most guns.  
"They must have a necromancer somewhere. Student." She straightened, "You will deal with the zombies, I'll find that necromancer." He strode off down a side corridor, then turned and said softly, "Be careful Tess" before disappearing into the shadows.  
She wanted to follow him, but thought better of it. He had told her to deal with the zombies, and so she would. She had enjoyed the feeling when he had told her to be careful, using her name, and took pleasure in the thought that she was helping her si-fu, even in a small way. The shuffling ranks of graveyard people came into view. Tess crossed her katar in front of her and bowed her head in prayer.  
"For those who become the living dead against their will, may we grant thee peace. Thy soul be blessed and thy sins forgiven. Amen" she finished. The zombies were close now; she crouched, and with a fierce cry launched herself at the zombies.  
  
Jerikor walked down the corridors in random patterns, his senses both mundane and supernatural were looking for any presence of the necromancer or other Satanists, although his supernatural senses were being dampened by the sheer evil of the complex. He could sense Tess' presence behind him, and she was cleaving through the zombies. He had taught her well, and she was especially gifted at using those Katars. He chuckled evilly; those zombies didn't stand a chance.  
A group of Satanists walked out into the corridor, and seeing Jerikor charged at him. The lead man swung a huge broadsword at Jerikor, aiming to decapitate him, but Jerikor ducked sideways, blowing a hole through the man's stomach, his other arm arced around and his gun impacted with the man's descending chin. Jerikor pulled the trigger and the man's head exploded in a gory mess, his brains coating the ceiling and the other Satanists. The others paused, stunned by their comrade's bloody demise. Jerikor fired another three shots, catching a cultist in the stomach, whilst another bullet passed through his throat, leaving a gaping bloody hole, the cultist fell, dead before he hit the floor. The last bullet caught another man in the leg, blowing through his knee and severing his leg. The cultist screamed as he fell to the floor, clutching his bloody stump until Jerikor sot again, the bullet passing through the cultist's eye and into his brain, shattering his skull. Jerikor laughed manically at the carnage he was unleashing, and laughed even more as the remaining two Satanists tried to kill him. Their bullets pattered off him like rain. He grinned psychotically as the two exchanged panicked glances. They dug into their pockets and extracted new clips. Jerikor could almost see the dark magick shrouding the bullets and he realized that those bullets could affect him. He didn't let them get any further, with two quick steps he was near hem. Raising both his guns, he shoved the muzzles into each man's forehead.  
"Thy souls shalt burn in eternal damnation, heretic!" he snarled pulling the triggers. Their brains splattered across the walls. Jerikor stalked off, searching for that dratted necromancer, he was getting bored with these Satanists.  
  
Tess sliced through another corpse, her blessed Katars slicing through the putrid flesh like a hot knife through butter. She had no remorse slaughtering these animated corpses. They were unthinking automatons, and the quicker they were destroyed the quicker they received blessed oblivion. She spun in a tight circle, decapitating half a dozen zombies, yet more shuffled forward and she was getting tired. She spun in low, slicing through the lead zombies legs, severing them and buying herself some time. She retreated down the corridor a short distance, easily out-pacing the shambling horde. She pulled a delicate flask out of a coat pocket and threw it at the approaching horde of zombies. The flask shattered over their heads, and droplets fell amongst the zombies, where the droplets landed on putrid undead flesh, white flames sprung forth, and jumped from zombie to zombie. Soon the corridor was a conflagration of white flame and flailing bodies. Tess smiled grimly as the holy water did its blessed work. She advanced through the flames and they parted for her to pass through. She reached out with her mind and gathered the flame, storing it in her body, as her si-fu had taught her. Lacking any new objectives from her si-fu and the zombies dealt with, Tess decided to continue down the corridor. She stalked down the hall soundlessly, sticking to the shadows. She heard voices and footsteps coming from a side corridor. She stopped and listened and she realized that the people were coming in her direction. She quickly concealed herself in a corner, her black clothing melding with the deep shadows around her. A group of four Satanists came around the corner, all holding automatic weapons. The Iscariot intelligence was desperate to know where they had acquired their weapons, but that was not her concern. Her mission was to annihilate every one of the heretics that drew breath, and she was fully prepared to overcome her earlier weakness.  
"May God forgive for the lives I take doing his most Holy Work in his most Holy Kingdom. Amen" she prayed silently. She stalked forward, her Katars at the ready, loose and held slightly away from her body. The first Satanist didn't even have time to scream, or even realize what was happening to him, as Tess punched her katar through his neck, spraying blood all over her and the other Satanists. She felt like gagging but grimly continued on. The second man had time to The second man had time to turn and make a surprised sound before she crossed her arms and sweeping her Katars across his neck, decapitating him. The third spun around and raised his automatic rifle, but she was too close and he could not bring his weapon on target before she had slashed upwards with her katar, ripping his stomach open, his steaming entrails piling on the floor. He screamed in agony before her return stroke severed his throat, silencing him forever. The last man, realizing how useless a gun was in such close quarters dropped his gun, and drew forth a large mace.  
"So the Vatican sends their dogs to try and destroy us," he said in a dark voice, Tess didn't reply. "Well, you may defeat me, but I doubt you can defeat our master. His power is that of the Infernos itself, it is folly to stand against him.  
""May God forgive you and grant you eternal peace," Tess said softly.  
The Satanist snarled savagely at her words, and hurled himself at her. She smashed the mace down towards her head, but she quickly sidestepped, and it smashed into the ground, shattering the flooring. She tried to step forward to counter attack but he swung the mace around in a wild circle. She was forced to duck under the swing and roll as he tried to smash her again. She quickly rolled to her feet, only to find the man following her; she leaped over a low swing and cut downwards as she somersaulted over him, scoring a deep wound on his back. He grunted in pain and tried to spin but she leaped forward, avoiding his clumsy blow.  
"Impressive, but how long can you keep dodging like that I wonder," she said nothing and quickly regained her breath. They cautiously circled each other spying for a weakness. The man did not seem bothered by the cut, and when he swung his mace, it was with the same strength. She ducked under the blow then quickly sidestepped another. So they continued, Tess always dodging and scoring another cut, and her opponent seemingly immune to her attacks. The man went into a berserk assault, swinging the mace quickly, almost too fast for Tess to dodge, she sprang backwards, but impacted with the wall. He grinned nastily as she realized she had nowhere to dodge to. He swung and she attempted to parry, but his blow was too powerful. The mace battered aside her katar and slammed her ribs. She screamed as she felt several ribs break under the impact. She slumped to the floor, clutching her side.  
He raised his mace for the killing blow, but fighting pain she drew forth some holy fire and spat it at the man. His eyes widened as the flame hit him and soon he was burning, the white flames quickly reducing him to ash. Tess felt a twinge of satisfaction, before coughing; to her surprise she felt liquid drip from her mouth. She raised her hand to her mouth and withdrew it again seeing blood covered her fingers.  
"No way," she gasped, "Haven't finished mission...for...si-fu." She attempted to stand, but the world spun crazily and she collapsed into unconsciousness.  
  
Jerikor felt Tess' presence fade in his mind, but could go to her aid. The enemy had him pinned down, and they were using their cursed ammo. They could destroy him, but he was sure they didn't carry enough ammo to do that, however he had to save his strength for more important targets than mere lackeys. He poked his gun around the corner and emptied his clip, in the Satanist's direction. There were screams as some of his bullets struck true and he grinned ferally. He repeated the process allowing his supernatural senses to pinpoint their locations. Quickly the return fire faded as he killed the last man without ever setting mortal eyes on their position. He quickly reloaded his guns and kept on moving. The Satanists were plentiful here, so obviously someone important was here. He slid to a halt in front of a large metal door, obviously of military manufacture. With a single kick, Jerikor blew the door off its hinges and it flew into the man on the other side, Jerikor glanced at the man, and seeing his robes and death symbols, assumed he was the necromancer his first target. The man tried to mumble a spell, but Jerikor was faster. He shoved his gun into the man's mouth so hard that several teeth broke, and the man's eyes widened in panic.  
"Go rot in hell," Jerikor snarled, before pulling the trigger blasting the back of the man's head off and spraying his brains all over the floor. Jerikor wasted no time in feeling satisfaction for the completion of his first objective. He pinpointed Tess' faint mental presence and teleported there.  
He found her surrounded by the corpses of the Satanists she had killed. She was breathing haltingly, and blood was dripping from her mouth. Jerikor's fingers gently probed her chest, trying to ignore the feel of her tender breasts, and quickly ascertained that she had several broken ribs, and may also have internal bleeding. Concern for her well being filled his mind, as he quickly removed his jacket and tore it into strips. He speedily bandaged her chest, securing her ribs from straying into anything vital. She was still unconscious; he gathered her up in his arms and was about to send a mental jolt through her to wake her up, when he felt twin blades threaten his throat. A Scottish voice spoke from behind him.  
"I'd not known ye to let ye guard down, fallen."  
"Ah, yes, then you hardly knew me, Father Alexander," Jerikor replied urbanely, "At the moment I am rather concerned with the well being of my student."  
"Ach, right I forget, she is nay a regenerator," Alexander said.  
"Actually, why are you here at all?"  
"Enrico did nay trust ye or the lass enough I'll wager, although by the amount of corpses ye two created I'd say it was misfounded," Alexander laughed.  
"I have completed the first objective, but my overriding concern is the survival of my student."  
"O' course, I ken understand tha," Alexander said, looking down at her, "pretty lass mind," he murmured.  
"You noticed," Jerikor said dryly.  
Alexander's reply was cut short by a low groan from Tess as she stirred in his arms. He quickly lowered her to the floor and sat her up.  
"Sifu," she moaned.  
"Shh, it's okay;" he reassured her.  
She opened her eyes and gasped when she saw Alexander hulking over Jerikor's back, "Who's that?"  
"Who, him?" Jerikor asked, indicating the priest, "He's Paladin Alexander Anderson the top regenerator in the Iscariot Organisation."  
"Ye flatter me"  
"No not really. You were one of the originals, and they have not been able to duplicate the success. And you are the only one I have any respect for."  
"That's cause we both be crazy," grinned Alexander.  
"True," chuckled Jerikor, "Although maybe it has something to do with the amount of times you tried to kill me before I join the Iscariots."  
"Maybe," shrugged Alexander.  
Jerikor returned his attention to Tess, "Student, I'm going to leave you here, and proceed with Father Anderson to complete the last objective. You remain here."  
"Yes, Sifu."  
"Good" he stood up, and with an ironic bow to Alexander, "After you, Father Alexander."  
Alexander laughed, "Ye know I nay trust me back to your kind. Shall we proceed?"  
"Indeed"  
With that they both strode away, leaving Tess alone with the corpses of the men she had killed. She tried to stand, to follow the two men, but she collapsed once more into the soothing oblivion of unconscious.  
  
"Burn in Hell, cursed Heretics!" bellowed Alexander as he cut down another cultist in a spray of blood, "May ye be purified by me righteous methods" he yelled, cutting a swathe through the cultists.  
Jerikor shook his head and proceeded to blast several cultists into the Nine Hells. He didn't mind the priest, he was okay to talk to when he wasn't working, but the constant religious sprouting he bellowed during battle grated on Jerikor's nerves.  
Soon the Iscariots stood alone amidst the piles of bodies. Random body parts were severed and lying around whilst blood covered everything.  
"Come on, let's hurry, I've had enough of these Satanists" Jerikor told the priest.  
"Fair enough, lets hunt us some daemon," replied Alexander.  
They took off down the corridor and descended into the very heart of the complex. There were no guards, no Satanists impeding their progress, and when Jerikor voiced his suspicions to Alexander, the priest laughed, dismissing them.  
"They flee from our righteous fury and can nay stand against our Holy anger."  
Jerikor did not voice his doubts over the priest's theory; instead he heightened his senses, mundane and supernatural, suspicious of an ambush or a trap. They descended further underground and soon Jerikor detected a malign presence ahead of them.  
"Alexander we are near the primary objective now," he informed the priest.  
"I know," he replied shortly, "I ken smell the blood."  
Jerikor said nothing, just checked his guns were still in working order, and that the right ammunition was loaded, and inwardly hoped that they would be enough.  
  
They entered a large circular room, the walls and floor were bare earth and disturbing patterns had been daubed onto the walls in blood. A large pentagram also drawn in blood dominated the floor. Jerikor recognised the designs around the room as daemon binding symbols, and when he raised a drop of blood to his tongue, tasted virgin blood.  
"Be careful Alexander, whoever drew these symbols knew what they were doing." He studied the seals more closely, "These look like they summon and bind a very powerful fiend, maybe a Glabrezu (1) or even a Balor (2), God forbid."  
"Ach, ye know almost too much about the cursed art," spat Alexander.  
"Remember what I am Alexander. I've been fighting daemons since the fall of Lucifer. You have to know your opponent to defeat him."  
Alexander strode over the boundaries before Jerikor could shout out a warning. As soon as he crossed the line, the room was plunged into darkness as all light was extinguished. Alexander jumped back as rents formed in the ground in the shape of the design. Red light sprung up from the cracks bathing the room in a hellish light.  
"What in God's name is happening?" Alexander bellowed.  
"Nothing to do with God," Jerikor yelled back, drawing his guns and again hoping they would be enough. Alexander drew his Blessed Blades and assumed his stance, his blades shaped like a cross in front of him.  
The red light coalesced into a single portal, and through it stepped an ugly 12 foot tall being with red skin and massive clawed hands. Its wings were draped around it like a cape and lurid flames wrapped its body. With a mighty yell Alexander threw himself at the fiend, his Blessed Blades scoring several deep cuts over the fiend's body. The fiend gave a throaty chuckle and caught the priest's arm and then the other. Alexander struggled to free himself but the fiend tore his arms off. He fell back, stunned.  
"Alexander, get out of here, I can deal with him!" Jerikor yelled.  
Alexander nodded, and in a flurry of scripture pages he disappeared.  
The fiend turned to Jerikor and spoke in it's hideous gurgling voice, "I never expected to see you again, Jerikor of the Heavenly Host."  
"Hmm, I don's recognise your face, but your stench is familiar, Balor." Jerikor mocked, recognising the fiend as a Balor, a daemon of enormous power, and one the daemon elite.  
"Could it be that you don't remember me?" The Balor said.  
"No, but then again, I hardly remember everything I destroy"  
"We clashed during the fall, you and I. You eventually defeated me, but even you could not destroy me."  
"Me'Ne'Kilth!" spat Jerikor.  
"My, my, he even remembers my true name, how flattering."  
"I thought you were banished for eternity."  
"Eternity is a very long time, wouldn't you agree?"  
"I defeated you once, I can do it again."  
"Ah, last time. Last time you had a host of Heavenly warriors to aid you, and now, now you are broken and alone, a mere shadow of what you used to be. Such a shame. How can you expect to defeat me?" The Balor laughed horribly.  
"Last time we fought, you assured me I didn't have a chance either. Anyway..." he grinned psychotically, "I grow tired of this existence anyway. For over three thousand years I've wandered this Earth, and it si very boring. I guess I'm ready for whatever awaits me."  
"Hmm, you haven't changed a bit." The Balor clicked his fingers and his weapons appeared in his hands, a fiery whip and blade. The whip lashed with a life of it's own and the sword was as large as Jerikor and it constantly dripped blood.  
"Let's start fiend," spat Jerikor, unleashing a salvo of shots that slammed into the Balor, but did not seem to harm the foul creature. The Balor chuckled and slashed at Jerikor, ho back flipped to avoid the blow, and then quickly leaped sideways into a cartwheel to avoid the whip. He emptied his clips into the Balor, who still showed no signs of being affected.  
"This is great fun daemon!" Jerikor laughed psychotically.  
  
Tess lay in the welcome oblivion of unconsciousness, blissfully waiting for her Sifu to return.  
"But he won't return if you don't help him," a voice whispered.  
Tess forced herself into consciousness and found herself not in the corridor, but floating in a sea of blackness. She looked around, strangely not frightened or panicked by her undoubtedly strange situation. She turned around and saw a mirror image of herself.  
"Where am I?" she asked herself.  
"That doesn't matter. You are in place where I can talk to you. What does matter is that you Sifu is in mortal danger from an ancient enemy of his," her mirror image replied.  
"An ancient enemy?"  
"His kind tends to acquire several during their existence."  
"Wait, who are you?"  
"I am you"  
"No that's impossible, I'm me."  
"I am you"  
"How do you know so much about Sifu?"  
"I know all that you know, and will know, and all that you have forgotten." "I don't understand. This is too strange." "Your Sifu will die if you don't aid him." "But how can I help? I'm badly wounded and only human."  
"I will alleviate your wounds, and I can help you remember."  
"Remember what?"  
"Do you accept my aid?"  
"Remember what?"  
"All that you were and all that you can be. Do you accept my aid?"  
"Yes I do."  
"Follow your feelings and your instinct and you will find your Sifu. Things will be different when you return. That is the effect of my aid, we will speak again."  
Suddenly Tess was back in the corridor, her body feeling wonderfully whole. Carefully she stood, and with no ill effects she sprinted down the corridor her Sifu and the priest took. She felt lighter than she did before, and she seemed to be running faster. She was sprinting and yet she felt no fatigue, no tiredness and she begun to worry about her agreement. But she brushed aside her doubts, if it granted her power to aid her Sifu, then no price was too high.  
A group of Satanists came out of a side door, and she could not hide so she ran towards them. Strange, she thought, they seem to move so slowly. She was on them in seconds and left a trail of headless bodies behind her, before they even had time to react. She turned to look, and her eyes widened in shock. The heads she had severed were sailing gracefully through the air and the blood was blossoming from the stumps of the necks, as the Satanists crumpled to the floor. But it all happened in slow motion, she did not stop to think about it, she didn't want to think about it. She just ran on, her red hair streaming behind her.  
  
Jerikor felt pain lancing through his insides as though they were on fire. The Balor twisted his claws in Jerikor's belly, causing the Fallen to throw his head back, although he managed to hold back his scream of pain.  
"Heh, scream for me Jerikor. I won't let you die until I hear your screams!" the Balor said, twisting his claws again, further opening the gaping hole in Jerikor's belly. Rick red blood cascaded from the heinous wound. Jerikor brought his gun to bear and emptied his clip point blank into the Balor's grinning face.  
"Fighting until the end, are we Jerikor? You're not disappointing me at all"  
"I...won't...let...you" Jerikor gasped  
"Won't let me what?" the Balor asked, his claws tearing through Jerikor's torso.  
The door slammed open, and both turned to see who had arrived. The Balor screamed in sudden pain, and dropped Jerikor, who raised his head to see the Balor swatting at the air around it. Cuts were appearing all over its body, deep-slashing wounds inflicted at a punishing pace.  
Jerikor regained his feet, his wound already closing. "Verified Class 11 Threat. Realising restraints on functions B, D and E, continue until target is silenced," he intoned.  
A halo of white light sprung up around his body, and majestic white wings sprouted from his back, He focused the light and it coalesced into a beam of white light, which he punched through the Balor's head. The Balor screamed in pure agony, as it's grip on its form in the material universe started to fade.  
"Go back to where you belong!" Jerikor growled, before slicing the Balor in half. The Balor slowly faded into nothing, not leaving a single trace of its presence. Jerikor folded his wings, and draped them into a cloak.  
"What...are...you?" Tess asked before slumping into unconsciousness.  
  
Paladin Alexander Anderson stood in front of Enrico's desk, his arms still not yet fully regenerated. "The Satanists had bound a Balor to their service, the fiend was insanely powerful and I doubt even the fallen could defeat him," he reported.  
"Yet he did."  
"What ye say?"  
"He managed to defeat the Balor. He returned last night with his student apparently she was wounded. He disappeared into his quarters after a brief report, and refuses to come when summoned. I may have to consider you inadequate..."  
"Stow it Enrico, I'll defeat Jerikor when I get the chance.  
  
Glabrezu- A daemon warrior, standing 15 foot tall with 4 arms, two ending with large pincers and the other two with hands, and has a dog head. Second only to the Balor in fighting prowess in the Abyss. A repulsive 12 foot humanoid with dark red skin and massive clawed hands. It has huge wings, which it likes to drape around its body like a grotesque cape, and is often wrapped in lurid flames. The most powerful denizens of the Abyss.  
  
Well, that was very long indeed. If you managed to read it all, thanks a lot. But what will happen to Tess and Jerikor? What plot is occurring within the Iscariot to rid itself or its most unwanted agent? If you have any ideas, please give feedback and inform me, I'd like to know myself, my muse has decided to take a holiday and I don't know when she'll be back...  
  
Please read and review please. I'm still going to write this bitch, but it helps to know what you don't like and do like. So please tell me. Even flame me, I don't really care, every criticisms is welcome...just don't be too malicious.  
  
To Slim Gohan, yeah Jerikor is supposed to be a bit like Alucard, but at the same time he is very different. Obviously Father Anderson appeared in this episode, but I try to give the main stage to my own characters, and let the other more famous characters have cameo appearances for more effect. 


	4. Chapter 4: The Iscariot's Plot

Standard disclaimers: don't own the Vatican or the Iscariots. Don't really want to, so who cares? I don't get no money for this although if you want to pay me, that's okay! Anyway, on with the story- it was supposed to be short, but it again got away from me, but it's not as long as last chapter, so don't worry!  
  
Whoops, sorry it took so long grins, but I have been mega busy lately, I will try and make more time for my writing.  
  
Chapter 4: More secrets unveiled  
  
Tess sighed. Man, she was bored. Since her aid in the destruction of the Balor some months ago, not much had happened. The first few weeks she had enjoyed as her Sifu had remained by her bedside and nursed her back to health. Unfortunately, despite their long incarnation all her attempts to wheedle or coax more information about him had failed. After she had healed, he had spent the following months probing her newfound talent of 'shifting' or so he had called it. After much experimentation, they had found how to trigger the ability at will, although she could only sustain for up to two minutes at a time. He had tried to teach her 'phasing' as well; teleporting through walls and such, like he did, however much to his frustration she had not yet gotten the hang of it. Something about the feeling of her being seeping through walls just creeped her out and sent shivers down her spine. She could achieve it, but she could not yet travel as far as her Sifu.  
Her Sifu was currently on a mission, and despite her pleading he had refused to take her along. His refusal had stung, and he had remained distant during her training, she had hoped he would act with the intimacy he had on the mission, but instead he had remained distant throughout the months. She sighed again, feeling bored and rejected as she wandered through the echoing halls of the Iscariot headquarters, and despite the hustle and bustle surrounding her, she felt very alone.  
She sighed again, she wondered how her Sifu was going on his mission, whether he was finished and when he was returning. She caught herself before she sighed again, she was sighing like some lovesick teenager, although she was really more than a bit lovesick. She had never had a boyfriend or had a crush on someone during her high school years, her foster father had frowned on such relationships, so her Sifu was the first man she had ever been attracted to. Quickly quelling such thoughts, she decided to go to a training room and train with her phasing technique, if she could go from their room to the training hall by the time he returned she thought he'd be pleased. She really wanted to experiment so she stopped where she was and sunk through the floor.  
She reappeared next to a very surprised man who had been in the middle of sparring with another priest; she had managed to arrive when several fledgling regenerators were training. They all turned to face her, and there was much muttering amongst them, she distinctly heard "The monster's concubine" and she glared angrily at the man who had said it. The man was tall, although not nearly as tall as her Sifu, and powerfully built. He looked around arrogantly and he clutched his holy blades at all times, his posture was aggressive and it was obvious he was looking for fight.  
"What did you say?" she asked, pointing at the man  
"I said that you are a concubine to that monster!" he snarled  
"Really?" she grinned, she had been working on a grin similar to her Sifu's, a wide manic grin that bordered on a psychotic smirk. It made most back away.  
"Yes you are the devil's concubine for living with that...monster!"  
"Want to prove it?"  
He recoiled, "What do you mean?"  
She smirked again, "If you can beat me in a sparring match it'll prove you right, and if you lose, you tell me everything you know about the 'monster' I'm supposedly the concubine of."  
"Till first blood?" he asked grinning  
"Of course"  
"Excellent, make us some room, this shouldn't take long" he said, standing with his blades in front of him.  
"You're right, this won't take long," Tess replied, grabbing her katar and standing ready, her blades flashing.  
The priests around them formed a large circle and two were left alone, surrounded by a ring of priests.  
He lunged quickly, his twin blades flying towards her as he threw them. She had expected such an attack and she shifted for a few seconds to bat them out of the way. She met his first flurry of melee attacks with a series of easy parries. Tess noted that his technique was not very defensive, and although his attacks were above average, he left a lot of openings, however he did seem fanatic and almost untiring as he unleashed barrage after barrage of almost berserk attacks. She decided to wait for a big enough opening to get a definite strike so she fought defensively, dodging and parrying his rather obvious attack patterns. She finally saw a large enough opening, she batted aside his blade, spinning quickly she lightly gashed the priest's side and stepped back.  
She ducked as the priest tried to decapitate her and quickly retreated out of attack range, "Wait, you said it was until first blood!"  
"But, I'm not bleeding!" he smirked.  
She looked to where her katar had sliced the priest and she saw no evidence of the wound except for the torn clothing. Impossible, she had felt the flesh give way underneath her blade, "Who or what are you?"  
"I am Anrath, Holy Regenerator of Sacred Rome. I cannot bleed so why don't you give up, devil's concubine!"  
A grin slowly formed across her face, and Anrath stepped back alarmed and uncertain.  
"Excellent, I was hoping to have an actual fight, I've been very bored lately and this should cure my boredom well. I've always wanted to know how tough you regenerators are, so today I'll find out"  
"A mere human cannot hope to defeat me!" he spat, his bravado returning.  
Her grin became even wider approaching such manic proportions that even her Sifu would have been impressed. It had the effect she wanted, Anrath was severely confused, he was facing a five and a half foot tall girl who was grinning like the Cheshire cat from Alice in Wonderland.  
"But I'm not entirely human anymore, Priest!" she spat the last word.  
He snarled as he launched himself at her again, but she decided to play with him for a while, she phased through the floor making Anrath slide to a halt and look around wildly, as all the other priests fled from the hall, or rapidly retreated. Tess chuckled at the chaos she had caused as she stuck her head out of a wall.  
"The thing about regenerators is that they forget that they don't fight many humans and that they are not the only enhanced beings on the planet. Not to mention the holier-than-thou attitude and the tendency to self-righteous sprouting," she mocked.  
"Foul magicker, come out where I can smite you!" yelled Anrath.  
"Hah! I'm not that easy to provoke fool. Just because you can regenerate doesn't make you invulnerable or immune to pain, for example," Tess phased her arm through the floor and drove her katar through Anrath's knee; he screamed in pain and tried to hack her arm, but she had already redrawn it.  
"Still no blood? Well let's try this then."  
His knee was already healing, and he haltingly regained his feet. She phased her torso through the ceiling above him, and unleashed a torrent of quick slashes that opened several deep gashes in his back. He cursed and spun around, but she was already gone.  
"Come out and fight properly you coward" he yelled.  
"Hmm, okay, but only because I was getting bored of this cat and mouse game." She replied, not to mention that her limit was fast approaching she thought to herself. She emerged from the floor, and stood at the ready. "Well come on!"  
He screamed an almost incoherent battle cry, and launched himself at her again.  
She decided to end this quickly and began shifting. Immediately everything else slowed down, her heartbeat thudded in her ears, reverberating like a giant drum. She easily evaded his attacks, reduced to an almost comical pace, and replied in kind with a series of cuts, stabs and slashes that Anrath vainly tried to parry, but his reactions were far too slow and she easily weaved her way around his clumsy blocks. After almost a minute of un-relenting attacks, she drew a line of blood across his cheek and she barely restrained the urge to decapitate him with the following blow. Her blades stopped a hair's breadth from his neck as she slowed down to reality. She collapsed in exhaustion as he raised his hand to his cheek and saw his own blood coat his fingers. She looked up from his fingers in amazement.  
"Meet me here after midnight Mass." She barely managed to say, before phasing through the floor to land on her bed. She blinked several times, before letting out a feeble cry of triumph; she had managed to get all the way to her quarters! In a single jump! She fondly imagined the proud look on her Sifu's face before falling into a contended, dreamless sleep.  
  
She awoke several hours later, sill exhausted from the amount of shifting she had done. She rolled over, aiming to get more sleep. Her eyes wandered to the clock. She was going to be late for her meeting with Anrath! Cursing soundly, as only a teenage girl can, she ran to the bookcase and yanked the correct book to open the secret door, and ran from the room and pelted down the corridors at full pace. She was already late, so she tried to phase through the wall.  
She reappeared right behind Anrath, who had not noticed her silent entry, and called out a greeting, he jumped from shock and spun quickly, his blades drawn.  
"It's only me, relax," she said soothingly. He visibly relaxed, and replaced his blades under his jacket. "Did you get the information I asked for?"  
"Yes, although there is not very much, the only ones who seem to know much are Enrico Maxwell himself and strangely enough Paladin Alexander."  
"I know why Paladin Alexander knows, apparently he tried to kill my Sifu numerous times before he joined the Organisation."  
"That would make sense I guess. I warn you though; this information is mainly rumours and hypothesis. Many of the Brothers are curious about your Sifu, and as you know he is very tight-lipped about his past, so maybe none of this is true."  
"Just tell me already," she insisted.  
"Firstly and most obviously, your Sifu is not human."  
"Hmm, I'd guessed that ages ago."  
"No-one know what he is though, although we do know that he is not a Nosferatu, they avoid him like silver. He is also not a were-creature, there are several of those in this organisation, and they form a tight group, a pack really, and your Sifu is not one of them."  
"So what is he?"  
"We don't know, although there are a lot of wild hypotheses. Some think he is a being from another planet, others claim he is a daemon or devil, and some..." Anrath trailed off.  
"What?" she demanded.  
"Some think he is a Fallen," he whispered.  
"Fallen?"  
"A Fallen Angel; banished from Heaven for some crime, exiled to this plane of existence until he atones."  
"What crime could an angel commit?"  
"Maybe the angel had an over-fondness for humans, meddled too much in our affairs. Maybe the angel disobeyed an order from God, or maybe he sided with Lucifer during the Fall."  
"A Fallen angel..."  
"We also know that he alive during several dynasties in ancient China and was present when Jesus was crucified."  
"So he's old," Tess muttered.  
"Very old. Older than the oldest Nosferatu, were-creatures and even the Church herself."  
"That would make him thousands of years old!" Tess exclaimed.  
"Correct. We don't even know his name though so there is no way to verify the Fallen theory."  
An image from the last mission flashed across her mind, she saw a brilliant aura and huge white wings that had sprouted from his body. "No, I'm sure of it, he has to be a Fallen."  
"Hmm, okay," said Anrath dubiously. "Although some of the priests think that he is absolutely unique, manufactured by some organisation using the blood of many supernatural beings."  
"Kinda like you then."  
"Pff, hold your tongue, before I cut it out of your mouth"  
"What do you think my Sifu is Anrath?"  
"I think he is a heretic. A heretic and a blasphemer," Tess made a sound of protest, but he continued, cutting her off, "however he aids us, and though I loathe to admit it, he is exceedingly talented at his duties. Anyway, the enemy of my enemy is my friend as the old proverb goes."  
"I don't think my Sifu is a heretic." Tess defended him.  
"Hmm, he hasn't gone to a single service since his arrival, and since you've become his student, you too have been noticeably absent."  
"We all serve God in our ways." Tess said, brushing aside his comment, "I'm not going to be a nun anyway, so I don't see why I have to shun people with Holy ramblings. I fight for God, when he tells me too, I'm no theologian."  
Anrath stared at her, "Heretic!" he spat, "You sound exactly like your Sifu!"  
"I consider that a compliment"  
"You consider it favourable to be compared to that monster?"  
"Of course, he's strong, he's fast, he's good at fighting and he knows a lot of interesting history that you never learn in school. A while ago he was talking about the crusades and the Inquisition, and what happened during those times and it wasn't the same as in my textbooks at school."  
Anrath snorted dismissively, and rose to his feet, "Anyway, I've fulfilled my end of the bargain, so I'm leaving. Don't speak to me again." With this he turned and strode towards the door.  
"Wait," Tess called out after him, "Where can I find more information about the Fallen?"  
Anrath was silent for a few moments before speaking, "Go to the Library, on the 27th bookshelf you will find information," he said, before leaving Tess alone in the dark training room.  
"But I'm not authorised for the library," she pouted to the empty room.  
  
Jerikor punched through another ghoul, it's body turning to dust around his arm. This was an insult! He lashed out with a sweeping circular kick that sent more ghouls to their final judgement. Sending him to deal with mere FREAKS! In his anger he punched through a ghoul and impacted with the wall behind it. With a dull crack, the wall shattered, fractures appearing along its length. He swore that Enrico would hear of this, these scum that anyone could of dealt with! With a snarled curse he dispatched the last ghoul and stalked after the host. He was still cursing when several shotgun blasts impacted with his body, he rocked back the force pushing even him off-balance. He quickly regained his balance and laughed. "Why don't you come out here where I can see you? Parasite!" he mocked the shadows, "Or are you too afraid to deal with a single Iscariot? Punk!" she spat out the last word, and continued snarling, "Your kind are no better than the cockroaches I crush under my foot. You are nothing but insects, waiting to be crushed!" As he spat out these insults yet more shotgun blasts slammed into his body. He chuckled grimly, the shots having no real effect on him, although he would have some bruises tomorrow. However he feigned weakness, staggering under the repeated blasts. Soon a shadow stepped out into the light, revealing an arrogant looking man with telltale red eyes. He replaced his shotgun and unclenched his fists, his hands forming cruel talons. He snarled wordlessly, and launched himself at Jerikor, his talons aiming for Jerikor's heart. With a movement that was so fast it was invisible, Jerikor launched himself forward, his arm rising in a diagonal cut. The FREAK fell in two pieces, surprise visible on his face before he turned to dust, Jerikor begun cursing again, this had been a complete waste of time. He disappeared, teleporting to Enrico's office leaving the echoes of his curses ringing around the target building.  
  
Back at Iscariot Headquarters, Tess lay on her bed staring at the ceiling, pondering how to get into the library. She couldn't lie her way through, and of course she couldn't seduce the guards, firstly they were priests, and secondly she had no idea how to go about seducing someone.  
"The curse of my childhood," she said aloud, before closing her eyes in thought. She ran through different plans, but could not think of one that was achievable. She felt an odd shift in consciousness; she opened her eyes to find herself floating in a familiar in a familiar darkness. The mirror-image of herself floated into her version, wearing a revealing Elizabethan style dress with long red hair that would of touched the floor but instead was billowing out around her. The last time Tess had been here, her mind had been fogged with pain from her wounds, and concern for her Sifu. Now, her mind clear of distractions she was suspicious and wary of magick or something out of the ordinary. She almost laughed out loud, she had been teleported to an infinite black darkness, faced with a being that could have been her twin, and she was looking for something unnatural.  
The other her stepped forward, "So we meet again."  
Tess nodded, "So it would seem"  
"You are suspicious of me?"  
"Naturally"  
"You need not worry, I would not willingly let harm befall you"  
"Where am I really?" Tess asked, indicating their peculiar surroundings.  
"You are in the deepest reaches of our mind"  
"Our mind?"  
"Yes, it is the untapped potential, and shared fate we share. However, only you can delve these depths"  
"Wait, who are you?" Tess demanded.  
"I am you" the other her replied simply.  
"You said that last time," Tess said testily.  
"And I say it again."  
Tess slumped her shoulders in defeat, accepting the paradox.  
"What do you call yourself now?" the other her asked.  
"Tessera Ardroimas, or just Tess"  
"Tess..." the other her rolled the name around her mouth, like a fine wine for tasting.  
"Uhm, why are we here?"  
The other brightened, "We are here to fulfil the bargain"  
"What bargain?"  
"You accepted my aid, and your shifting ability is only the beginning"  
"What?"  
"You did not think that that minor power was all that my aid entailed did you?"  
"Well..."  
The other her laughed, "Come now, I will far more helpful than that."  
"But at what cost?"  
"No cost, only your continued conversation from time to time, and share your experiences."  
"Share my experiences?"  
"Allow me a small corner of your mind, so that I may experience what you experience."  
"Why?" Tess asked, suddenly suspicious.  
"Do not worry, I will not try and take over your mind or such a nefarious thing."  
"Hmm, I guess it's okay then. What do I call you?"  
"What do you mean?"  
"What is your name?"  
"My name? Our...my name...call me...Ehlissa"  
"Okay then, Ehlissa" they both smiled, "Can you help get into the library"  
"Of course."  
"How?"  
"Just phase"  
"Why didn't I think of that?" Tess said.  
Tess blinked and was back in her room, lying on her bed 'Our bed' Tess started.  
"Ehlissa?"  
'You can talk to me in here you know.'  
"Are...are you reading my thoughts?" Tess asked, slightly panicked.  
'Of course not, I am however poking through your memories.'  
"Wha...WHAT?!?"  
'You really like your Sifu don't you?' Tess blushed. 'Hmm I must admit he does look rather handsome, in a roguish way. Good choice!'  
"What...what are you talking about?" Tess asked aloud, still blushing furiously.  
'You forget, I am you, and your memories are mine as well.'  
"Anyway let's get into the library," Tess said, desperate to change the topic.  
'Ah yes, you want to find your Sifu's true name.'  
"Yeah," Tess said, and then asking on a hunch, "Do you know it?"  
'No, I don't, but it won't be easy to find without some help.'  
Tess walked through the wall, and phased into the library. It was a huge cavernous room, filled with towering bookcases each bookcase overflowing with books of all descriptions. Treatises on history shared shelves with Nostradamus' prophecies and Biblical studies. The odd torch, smoking in its bracket, throwing huge ominous shadows, and not really alleviating the darkness, dimly lit the library.  
"This place is huge, we'll never find anything in this chaos, even with Anrath's clue."  
'Don't worry,' Ehlissa spoke in her mind, 'try saying these words: Na Dumar'  
"Na Dumar," Tess repeated and was shocked to see a light spring from her out-stretched hand and hovered around her head. "How did you do that?"  
'I didn't do anything; you spoke the words of power, and the effect you can clearly see. Now, think of the book you need to find and say Wanrag Kron'  
Tess concentrated on the book she needed, and muttered "Wanrag Kron" The light that had been hovering around her head sped off into the darkness. Tess struggled to keep pace with the speeding light. The light stopped, hovering in front of a book on the fifth shelf.  
'That will have the information you seek.'  
Tess grabbed the thick tome, but it was heavier than she had expected and she tumbled to the floor, knocking over a chair with a loud clatter.  
'Quickly,' urged Ehlissa, 'someone's coming'  
"Oh shit," Tess muttered struggling to get up.  
'Phase back to your room, quickly'  
Tess sunk through the floor and landed on her bed as she emerged from the ceiling. It took Tess a few breaths to regain her senses. She recovered and quickly laid the tome on the table, pulled up a chair she sat down. She opened the book to the first page, and not seeing an index, started reading.  
'You know there are faster ways,' Ehlissa noted wryly after several pages.  
"Of course, there are two of us, you read this side and I'll read the other," Ehlissa was about to interrupt, but Tess kept on talking, "Sifu could be back at any moment so we had better hurry."  
'Your Sifu is already on his way back.'  
"What?"  
'And he is very angry with a certain Enrico.'  
"Oh no, Sifu don't do anything silly," Tess murmured before re- applying herself to the tome in front of her.  
  
Jerikor smashed open Enrico's office door, his rage almost a tangible thing, "Don't. Ever. Waste. My. Time. Like. That. Again." Jerikor grated, snapping each word. Enrico swivelled to face him, and Jerikor suddenly felt twin blades slice into his neck.  
"What treachery is this?" growled Jerikor.  
"Yours. We have no mercy for traitors," Enrico replied calmly and coldly, although his left eye was twitching.  
"I am no traitor, the seals make certain of that."  
"If ye nay be a traitor, why do ye continue ta train a pagan?" Paladin Alexander rumbled behind him.  
"I train no pagan"  
"Then why she be using magick?"  
"What?" exclaimed Jerikor, surprise forcing him to almost jump, the blades sliced slightly deeper and he forced himself to calm down.  
"She be channelling those dark energies here, in the very heart of the Vatican." Alexander continued.  
"But you have controls on the recruiting process, if she was a pagan she wouldn't have been able to enter this compound!" Jerikor argued.  
"Oh, we thought that too, and we checked the wards and they are still in place," Enrico said, "So there is only one explanation; you trained her."  
"Wait..."  
Enrico ignored him and continued, his voice rising until he was screaming in rage, "Finally everything makes sense, all those years you pretended servitude, even abiding the seals my predecessors placed on you, all the while you secretly take our most gifted agents and twist them to darkness, becoming servants of all our hell-spawned adversaries."  
"Just wait..."  
"This is it, the opportunity for the Iscariot Organisation to rid itself of our biggest parasite, and all his abnormal followers."  
Jerikor cursed, Enrico was labelling Tess' emerging talents as witchcraft and using that as an excuse to destroy him and kill all the supernatural creatures in the Iscariot's ranks. Jerikor grinned; he would be damned if he was going to let them destroy him, or his student; the most promising he had trained in his time with the Iscariots.  
"Does this mean you no longer require my services?" Jerikor asked, his manic grin spreading.  
"Ye be worried 'bout yer service? We are gonna kill you and all the other scum, cursed heretic." Alexander spat.  
Jerikor ducked quickly and elbowed Alexander in the groin, forcing the large man to bend over and release his hold on Jerikor's neck. Jerikor slid through the floor, glaring at Enrico, "We'll see each other again Enrico, I promise."  
The priest recoiled, and was about to sprout another insult, but Jerikor was already gone.  
  
Tess suddenly stopped. "This is him," she said pointing at an illustration.  
'That's a picture of the original angels who followed Lucifer, and how they were cast out of Heaven for their treachery.'  
"Yeah, and there's my Sifu, he's to the left of the leading angel, who is he?"  
'Well, the leader appears to be the Archangel Michael.'  
"What? He fought with Saint Michael?"  
'So it would seem'  
Tess scanned down the list of names, she suddenly stopped, and went back a few names and settled her finger on one. "That's my Sifu's name," she said; wonder creeping into her voice, "Jerikor Veorraent, my Sifu."  
  
Well, I finally finished. Man, sometimes I really hate school, I've been swamped under exams for a while, but now I finally found the time to finish this. I do however have no idea what should happen next, so please read, review and suggest. 


	5. Chapter 5: A Daring Escape

Standard disclaimers. Don't own any of the characters presented in this work, besides my own creations. I do not own the Iscariots or any of its members.  
  
Hey, something a little different this time it's a very short chapter, however it should be pretty packed! Hope you enjoy! Please Read and Review, it is deeply appreciated.  
  
Chapter 5: A Daring Escape  
  
Jerikor cursed as he was dumped untidily back into reality. Enrico had readjusted the wards surrounding the Iscariot base, probably so that Jerikor wouldn't be able to teleport out and around the compound. That was a mistake; before he could have left without killing or injuring a single member of Section 13, now he was angry enough to start hunting them. Jerikor could already hear the sounds of battle echoing through the corridor as Section 13 tore itself apart in puritanical zeal. He took several calming breaths before heading towards his quarters. If he was quick enough, he could collect his student and move out of the compound before Enrico could marshal his forces to move against them with force; revenge would wait for another day.  
He sprinted through the corridors, ignoring the struggling figures that appeared in his peripheral vision, he had only one objective; and that was reaching his student before Enrico or any of his followers could get to her. Almost too late he sensed the sword descending towards his head. He quickly leaped sideways skidding along the floor, until he halted, his arm supporting his weight. Without thinking he drew one of his pistols and shot the man in the leg. He screamed in pain as the bullet shattered his knee; he slumped to the floor clutching what remained of his leg, his sword clattering on the stone floor. Jerikor was running again, before the man had even hit the floor.  
"Stop wasting my time with insects," Jerikor snarled.  
"It'll be my pleasure," growled a low Scottish voice; Alexander was here.  
A heartbeat later, Alexander attacked his blades slicing towards Jerikor, who half a step back to narrowly avoid the blades, which sliced through the air a few millimetres from his face. Jerikor was forced to duck to avoid a decapitating blow, and he quickly back flipped to gain distance. As Jerikor back-flipped he lashed out with a foot, catching Alexander by surprise and pushing him back. Jerikor came out of the back flip with his pistols drawn and pointed at the regenerator.  
"You know this is just like old times, Alex?" Jerikor said urbanely.  
"Don't ye be callin' me that!" Alexander snarled ferociously.  
"Why not, Alex?" Jerikor mocked, "You know it was then, why we fought almost daily."  
"Shut up."  
"And did you ever defeat me..."  
"Shut up!" Alexander yelled.  
"I wonder what would have happened had Enrico's predecessor offered me a job?"  
"I said shut up!" screamed Alexander before attacking again.  
"That's right, get angry, don't think things through," mocked Jerikor, easily dodging the blades before blowing a chunk out of Alexander's shoulder. Alexander spun, his blades cutting horizontally, Jerikor ducked under the blades, sending several more bullets into Alexander's chest blowing him backwards. Jerikor stood up, and casually indicated towards Alexander.  
"Come on, I haven't even begun to sweat yet."  
Alexander suddenly grinned, then begun chuckling. "Every second you spend here, is another second you need to reach your precious student and escape" saying this, he burst out in maniacal laughter, but quickly died out when he saw the look on Jerikor's face. Snarling wordlessly, Alexander sprang forward, throwing several of his blades as he ran towards the Fallen. Caught unawares by the sudden attack, Jerikor felt several blades pierce his body, and barely dodged Alexander's attack in time. The blades hampered his movement, and he clumsily sprung back when Alexander sought to decapitate him, too slow he realized as he felt the blades graze his throat. Alexander was laughing again, as he cut into Jerikor's arm, nearly severing the limb. Still laughing, his back swing caught the Fallen in the ribs, cutting a deep wound and blowing the taller man backwards.  
Jerikor haltingly regained his feet, supporting his nearly severed arm as blood pooled around his feet. "You know, before I was only annoyed at the Iscariots. Now I want to burn every single member and the entire Vatican to the ground," Jerikor discard his pistols. Alexander took a step back involuntarily. He knew what was coming, he had witnessed it many times in the past, and he had hoped that Jerikor would not been able to channel these powers. He knew fear as Jerikor slowly peeled back his gloves and threw them to the floor, before pulling off his many rings. As the last ring was removed a shockwave of power burst from Jerikor. Alexander shielded his face, but was blown back by the power in that was radiating from Jerikor. He lowered his arms to see Jerikor standing calmly, wounds healed, power forming an almost visible aura around him. He stared at Alexander, anger flaring in his eyes, before uttering, "Come on!"  
Alexander yelled an incoherent battle cry before flinging himself towards Jerikor, his blades slicing towards Jerikor's head. Jerikor calmly raised an arm, stopping the blades before his other arm slammed into Alexander's chest, blasting the priest back against the wall with unbelievable strength. Alexander's body hit the wall with a bone shattering impact; he coughed blood, before regaining his feet and attacking again. Again Jerikor blocked the swords casually this time lashing out with a leg. With a sickening crack Alexander's knee shattered and he stumbled to the ground, looking up in time to see Jerikor's foot descending towards his head, he raised an arm to try and block the blow, but to no avail. The foot broke his arm, snapping the bones into fragments. Alexander screamed in pain, but it was cut short as he was pulled to his feet his swords dangling limply from his hands; he would never relinquish them. Jerikor let Alexander go, and before he could move struck with both fists, one cracking several rib, and the other catching Alexander in the throat, crushing his oesophagus. Alexander struggled to breath as he passed out, the pain too much even for his augmented physiology to cope with.  
Jerikor fought the urge to pound the unconscious Alexander to a bloody pulp; he had more important things to do now. He reached the corridor outside his quarters without further hassle. He regained his composure and pulled the appropriate torch holder, and quickly entered his quarters.  
  
Tess was waiting for him, she turned quickly when he entered the room, hiding something behind her back and smiling widely to him. Her smile faded when she took in his stern expression and his torn and bloody clothing.  
"Sifu what's wrong? Are you injured?" she asked, reaching forward to examine him.  
"No. We are leaving," he replied shortly.  
"What? A mission? Cool!" she said excitedly, hoping from foot to foot.  
"No. We are leaving the Iscariots. Now." He interrupted her reply explaining, "Enrico has labelled your emerging talents as witch-craft and has used this as an excuse to purge Section 13 of non-humans."  
Tess looked shocked at the news, and quickly started running around the room, "Let me get my stuff together."  
"No." Jerikor interrupted her search impatiently, grabbing her shoulder.  
"But I'll need clean clothes," she said, half-heartedly trying to remove herself from his vice-like grip.  
"I'll buy you some new stuff. We leave now." Saying that, Jerikor grabbed her hand and seconds later they were tearing down the corridors, heading towards the exit.  
"Enrico has disable all phasing within the Vatican, and probably Rome as well. Once we get out, we out some distance between us and Rome."  
"Okay...you...think...they...will...pursue...us?" Tess asked breathlessly. She was admittedly scared, but one corner of her mind was leaping with excitement. Yes! Travelling alone with si...Jerikor!  
Jerikor's face hardened and he didn't reply. They avoided the noisy bands Iscariots that were searching for non-humans, and they soon reached the exit.  
  
They both slid to halt. Standing at the door was an entire group of experienced regenerators, led by a still-limping Alexander.  
Tess started as she heard Ehlissa's voice in her head; she had remained silent through the entire ordeal. 'Maybe I should make this easier for you and your cute Sifu. Bar Angaz. Say it, it should give you time to escape.' Tess silently thanked her friend, before focussing anew on reality.  
Jerikor clenched his fists and started forward. Obviously intending to fight the entire lot of them, but he was brought to a halt when he felt Tess' arm on his shoulder, holding him back.  
"Let me try, Sifu." She said, walking past him as he turned in surprise.  
"Wait," Jerikor called out, reaching out to grab her but before he could, he and the regenerators were blown to the floor by a sudden wave of energy that had sprung from Tess. "Bar Angaz!" she called out, before slowly falling in a graceful arc. Jerikor quickly sprung forward and caught her before she hit the floor.  
"Hurry...won't...last...long," she murmured before slumping unconscious in his arms. Jerikor looked up, and saw the Iscariots frozen in mid-stride. He cast a worried look at Tess, before gathering her up in his arms and striding out into the night.  
  
Well, that was short. I needed to get them out of the Iscariots before the next section of this story. I will be divorcing from the Hellsing universe that we know (i.e. Europe) and moving them elsewhere, as they can obviously not stay in Europe. Also be prepared to see a character leave (not die, but something special is going to happen, hehe, my little secret!), as the story unwinds. 


	6. Chapter 6: The Cosa Nostra

Standard disclaimer: I don't own any of the Hellsing universe except my own characters...not through lack of trying though.  
  
To cryearthstearsfalltou: thanks...I think, but it's nice to know that some people struggle through my drivel...  
  
Anyway, just to say, I don't know how many people read my junk, but reviews are always welcome. This fic is nearly finished (1 maybe 2 more chapters at most) cause I also got some ideas for a Love Hina fic going through my head, and it won't leave me alone...depends on the reviews I guess, cause that shows that you guys read my junk! Anywho, on with the show  
  
Chapter 6: The Cosa Nostra  
  
When Tess awoke she was immediately aware of an engine and the wind ruffling her hair. She felt an arm wrapped around her waist, hugging her close, and the sun shining on her face. She had trouble remembering how she had gotten into such a pleasant state of being. She leaned further back into the embrace and tilted her head upwards before opening her eyes. She stared up at the brilliant blue sky, small fluffy white clouds drifted across the heavens. Her Sifu, Jerikor, looked down at her, concern obvious in his brilliant purple eyes, and something else was lurking deeper behind that stare? Wariness perhaps? Tess had no idea.  
"Ah, good you're awake at last," Jerikor said, relieved.  
"How long was I out?" Tess asked, snuggling closer, this was the closest she had ever been to her Sifu, and she wasn't wasting a minute of it.  
"About 2 days," he replied, looking slightly uncomfortable at her closeness, "I was a little concerned that you would stay like that."  
"Where are we?"  
"North of Rome, heading to the port of Lirvono"  
"What then?"  
"We sail to Corsica."  
"Won't they chase us? I mean Corsica isn't very far away."  
"No, Corsica has and always will be a stronghold of the Cosa Nostra. Not in a thousand years would the Iscariots try to wage war on them on their home ground," Jerikor chuckled.  
"Uhm, who are the Cosa Nostra?"  
"That's what the mafia call themselves."  
"The MAFIA?!?" Tess exclaimed, "We're running from the Iscariots to the Mafia?" she asked incredulously.  
"Don't worry, they owe me some favours," Jerikor's jaw clenched as he said this, but Tess decided not to press the matter any further.  
"Okay," she murmured. Tess went back to enjoying the sun and the wind on her face, and the speed of the motorbike, of course along with the closeness of Jerikor. Before she knew it, she had fallen asleep again.  
  
A gentle shaking woke her, looking around she found herself in a bustling port town, sometime in the night.  
"Hmm," she moaned, "are we there?"  
"Yes, come on," Jerikor looked fully alert, aware for anyone suspicious following them, as he hustled her along.  
"Is anyone following us?" Tess asked, alert as her Sifu.  
"You try and spot them," Jerikor challenged her with a grin.  
Looking around casually and using the reflection from a shop window, she spotted the two men. Both wore non-descript clothing and were well built, bulges in their jackets gave away the fact that they were armed. "Are they Iscariots?"  
Jerikor laughed, "No, the Iscariots would of attacked as soon as they found us. No, I believe those two are from the Cosa Nostra."  
"So what do we do?"  
"Turn left at the next alley, and sprint, if I remember correctly 20 metres along there should be another alley to the right. We duck down there and wait."  
"Okay"  
Seconds pasted as Tess forced herself to remain calm and walk seemingly calmly. "Now" whispered Jerikor in her ear, and they sprinted down the alley, Tess had time to throw a look over her shoulder and saw the two men swear, reach into their jacket pockets and retrieve their pistols before setting of after them.  
"They are both armed with handguns, Glocks from what I could tell," she told Jerikor.  
"Well spotted, in fact a Glock 17 I believe," he congratulated her, as they quickly turned right down the second alley, and at Jerikor insistence down a third alley just to make sure they thought they had tried to run away.  
Sure enough, after several seconds they heard the two men coming, swearing at each other. They rounded the corner right into the two prepared ex-Iscariots, and within seconds they were both disarmed and tied up. Tess had kicked the pistol out of his hand, and with a follow up kick, smashed him up against some rubbish bins. Jerikor had merely grabbed his assailant's hand and squeezed, bones snapped and popped and the man dropped his pistol and tried to remove himself from Jerikor's grip. As Tess tied up her opponent with strips torn from his own jacket, Jerikor was questioning his captive.  
"So, why are you following us?"  
"We were told to guide you to our boss, but first to make sure it was you," the man grumbled.  
"Why didn't you just walk up to us then, instead of all this sneaking around?"  
"Because they were the test to see if you were really who we thought you were," said a cold voice above them. Both Tess and Jerikor looked up to see the balconies above them crowded with black suited men carrying semi- automatic weapons. The man who had spoken was an elderly man, with a white beard, and slightly balding. He had the body of someone who had been muscled once upon a time, but slowly let it go to fat. The hand that held the Walther PP7 though, was unwavering and steady. "We could guess who you were by your trademark hair and size. But who is the little girl?" He indicated towards Tess.  
She was about to burst out in protest before Jerikor quickly shot her a meaningful look that spoke volumes. Regretfully she bit back her reply and let her Sifu talk for her. "She is my student and as such her actions are my actions."  
"But a woman?"  
"That is correct. She has more talent in her little finger than all your men put together." Tess looked at her Sifu, to see if he was joking, but to her dismay, he was not.  
The man stared hard at Tess for several minutes, before laughing "This is something I will have to see with my own eyes, but this is not the place for such demonstrations." Tess involuntarily shuddered at this, but the man did not see, "I have a boat waiting to take us to Corsica, if that is your wish." A certain tone showed that even if this was against their wishes, they would have no choice but to comply. Jerikor simply nodded. "Good then, to Corsica then!"  
  
After a few hours aboard a luxury yacht, they finally reached Corsica. Normally Tess would have enjoyed the luxuries and the movement of the boat; but it was hard to relax with armed men in every corner who watched her like hawks. Jerikor was speaking with the older man, who was called Don Salvatore, but there was an air of forced joviality surrounding their conversation. Tess used the passage to take a bath and acquire new clothing. At first her choices had been limited to elaborate gowns and overly feminine clothing. With the help of a giggling and obviously empty- headed maid, she had struggled into one of the over-elaborate gowns, all the while wondering how people could put up with such clothing, as well as changing her hair style, so that it formed elaborate curls down her back and shoulder. She had presented herself somewhat nervously in front of the two men and they were both rendered momentarily speechless by her now evident and radiant beauty. 'Not bad,' Tess heard Ehlissa wryly comment in her mind.  
After closing his mouth and stammering a compliment; to which Tess felt very pleased, it seemed that her Sifu did notice her beauty, he had whispered in her ear.  
"You look absolutely radiant, my dear. But perhaps more practical clothing would be in order?" he had stressed the word practical. With a pout of disappointment, she headed back to her cabin and somewhat regretfully removed the beautiful dress, although she made sure to pack it in her bag, and changed to more practical clothing: knee length khaki shorts and a black halter top. She shook out the elaborate curls in her hair, and returned back to Jerikor. He approved her choice of clothing, and they stepped out onto Corsica.  
  
They arrived in the port of Bastia where a group of men in black suits surrounded them, leading them to a large black limousine. Despite the uneasiness that Tess felt, she could not help but marvel at the landscape; gentle rolling green hills and distant, snow-capped mountains. They travelled in silence until they reached a large mansion on the outskirts of another town, and they were ushered into a plush office. Tess blinked in surprise at the sophistication and richness of the office; a large mahogany desk dominated it, behind which Don Salvatore seated himself. He began to explain his plan to test Tess.  
"At the moment we are running a martial-arts tournament for members of the underworld. If your student can achieve better than 5th place she will be accepted."  
"And if I don't?" Tess asked.  
"Women should hold their tongues whilst men are discussing business," Salvatore said, scowling at Tess. He turned to Jerikor, "She seems unaware of social protocols, and your training does not seem thorough. If she fails, her life is mine," he looked her over with lustful eyes.  
"The hell?" Tess exclaimed, "You expect me to accept that?"  
"Whether or not you like it is besides the question, if your master agrees," Salvatore said coldly.  
"Jeri..."  
"SILENCE WOMAN!" Salvatore bellowed before trying to slap her. She easily blocked the blow and barely resisted the urge to punch the old man in the face. Salvatore looked shocked that she had resisted and quickly backed away as she clenched a fist and waved it in front of his face.  
Jerikor smoothly interrupted the hostile silence, "Now, now. I am sure my student will abide by my decision. Am I right?" he pointedly said, staring at Tess. She nodded and lowered her fist. "Good in that case, I accept your terms Don Salvatore."  
"What?" Tess exclaimed, "Why?"  
"This will be a good test of your abilities, you should have no problem." Jerikor said calmly. Salvatore smirked, and Tess had the uneasy feeling that he was planning something but she kept her thoughts private.  
"I want to train a little with my student first though. When will she be required?"  
"Well you are in luck, the first two rounds have already been decided, and we are down to the last 15 competitors. She starts tomorrow, against the Japanese yakuza member, Chiroshi."  
"Thank you, if you will excuse us," Jerikor bowed politely and left the office, Tess tagging along after shooting Don Salvatore an extremely sour look. As soon as the door closed behind them, Tess burst out.  
"What on..." she got that far before Jerikor interrupted.  
"Silence, I do not appreciate being questioned by my servants!" Jerikor bellowed. Tess recoiled as if being slapped by his harsh words, but calmed when she heard his voice in her head. "Salvatore has every inch of this mansion under video and audio surveillance, so under no circumstances must we appear to be more than master and servant. Okay?" Tess nodded. "Okay then. Let's have a couple of rounds of sparring before dinner and have an early night."  
They were led to an arena somewhere in the western side of the house. Tess had given up trying to remember exactly where due to the huge size of the mansion. They were informed that this is where the tournament would take place. The arena was circular, with a diameter of about 20 metres. Jerikor nodded his approval whilst silently telling Tess that she would at least have enough room to manoeuvre.  
"We should under no circumstances and for no reasons reveal our supernatural abilities," He told her silently, and she nodded. "Very well," he said normally, "Let's see how much of my lessons you have remembered," he said before springing forward to attack.  
For Tess he moved much slower than she was used to, before remembering his words, and forced herself to slow down as well. She easily blocked his blow, with an open palm and tried a circular kick to the head. He ducked under her kick and retaliated with a foot sweep, over which Tess sprang before launching an aerial assault. She forced him slowly backwards under a barrage of kicks and punches, not giving him enough time to counter. He was grinning ferally.  
"Good, good. You have learnt well, but let's see what happens."  
He quickly rolled under a kick and grabbed some of her clothing before throwing her across the arena. Tess flipped in mid air and landed on her feet, before being forced on the defensive as Jerikor unleashed his own barrage of attacks. Tess was hard pressed to defend herself, and she desperately needed to win back the initiative, ducking to avoid a high kick and she swept her leg out, in an attempt to knock Jerikor to his feet. As she had thought he easily jumped over her attack, once he was in the air however he was unprepared for her second attack; she leaped to her feet and blasted Jerikor with a powerful round kick that sent him flying out of the ring. She stood in the ring, breathing heavily, whilst Jerikor regained his feet. He was grinning broadly.  
"Excellent Tess, excellent! I haven't had a fight like that for years, brilliant!" with that, they left the arena and went to get dinner. They ate alone in their shared quarters, and soon both had eaten their fill.  
They made idle conversation, until Jerikor announced that they should get to bed. "You've got a lot of work set out for you tomorrow. You need to defeat at least 2 opponents to avoid slavery."  
"Yeah, thanks to you!" she said, playfully throwing a pillow at her Sifu.  
He swatted the pillow out of the air and retaliated with one of his own, "We wouldn't need to be here if it wasn't for you!"  
Tess did likewise, dodging the pillow and throwing another, "It was you who taught me!"  
"You wanted to learn!" another pillow.  
With a little scream she unleashed a flurry of pillows and followed to engage in hand to hand. Jerikor batted the pillows out of the way, and then received Tess' hand cushion right in the head, he fell over in surprise and Tess landed on top of him. They stayed like that for a while; bodies in contact, staring at each other. With slow deliberation, Tess leaned down and kissed Jerikor deeply. He broke the kiss, and muttered, "They're watching..."  
"So what?" she said, kissing him again. Okay, so that's another chapter. I will soon be wrapping this story up, I have a Love Hina fic being written as we speak (3 chapters so far), but don't worry! I have a sequel planned (well actually it's based before these events, before Jerikor joins the Iscariots as a matter of fact) but that all depends on if people want it, so tell me! 


	7. Chapter 7: Fights Abound

Disclaimer: you know how it goes...

Sorry to everyone that I'm really slow with updating, but I like thinking everything out...and I can't type well...

To Cynical Chaos: thanks for the vote of confidence, that really motivates me to do the thing I hate most...typing!

To cryearthstearsfalltou: maybe, but there is a sequel planned (2 actually!) but I don't if I can get round to writing them, with the Love Hina fic that I've already started...

Chapter 7: Fights Abound... 

Tess woke up the following morning to find the bed next to her empty, although it wasn't her bed. She smiled at the memory of last night, she had finally managed to gather the courage to be with Jerikor, and she wasn't regretting the decision now. She sighed as she turned over to get some more sleep.

"That's enough sleeping, you have to start in a couple of hours," a familiar voice said.

"Come on, it's not like we got that much sleep last night," Tess could almost feel Jerikor's blush, "Just another half-hour..." she mumbled.

"No chance." With a sudden pull, Jerikor yanked the bed sheets off Tess, revealing her naked form.

She blushed and then started towards Jerikor, a predatory gleam in her eyes, "Well since we have to wait..."

Several hours later, Tess was nervously waiting in a room near the arena. Her first opponent was a member of the Japanese yakuza named Chiroshi. She had no idea what to expect. She nervously went through some forms to calm and focus her mind. She would be all right, Jerikor had trained her well, and she would defeat her opponent or become a slave to that Salvatore; a fate she was understandably not to keen on living. Whilst she was calming herself with the familiarity of her forms, Jerikor made a worrying discovery. He burst into the room where Tess was waiting.

"Bad news, apparently weapons are allowed," Jerikor said grimly.

"What? But I don't have my Katar here, I left them at the Iscariot compound."

"I know." He said, a frown appearing on his face. He was silent for several minutes as Tess circled the room, cursing the entire time. "Got it!" Jerikor exclaimed, before rummaging around his pockets for something.

Tess looked on curiously as numerous objects fell out of her lover's jacket, mp3 player, mobile phone, and other technological gadgets. "I didn't know you were into all that stuff." She said indicating the pile of electrical goods.

"Ah yes, here they are," he said, pulling out a pair heavy fingerless gloves.

"What are they?" Tess asked curious.

"Here put them on," Jerikor said, handing them to Tess who immediately noticed their weight. She pulled on the gloves, which came up to her elbows; she immediately felt the cold metal touching her skin and shivered at the contact.

"Metal gauntlets?" She asked incredulously.

"Yes, and not just any metal. You notice how light it is? That's reinforced titanium, it could stop a bullet," Jerikor said proudly. "They're yours from now on, just in case something happens to me."

"What could possibly happen to you?" Tess asked, giving him a peck on the cheek. Jerikor just smiled sadly. Tess ran out of the room, filled with new confidence, Jerikor trailed along behind. He took his seat after the introductions and took notice of Tess' opponent. She wasn't too tall, but taller and more solidly built than Tess. She carried a Katana, a curved Japanese blade famed for its sharpness. Jerikor merely smirked, the gloves that he had given Tess, had held against the best blades in history, they would not fail her. Jerikor forced his attention to Chiroshi's footwork; a fighter could tell a lot about a fighter from their footwork. Chiroshi was in a traditional kendo stance, her feet not wide apart and her right foot forward. The stance was perfect, at least in a sword fight; only time would tell if it could deal with the lightning fast strikes and footwork of Tess' kung fu. The arms that held the sword were steady, and Chiroshi's eyes were steely, the eyes of a killer born and a killer raised. Jerikor could see that Chiroshi would have no qualms about killing Tess, and in fact Jerikor sensed a barely contained battle-lust, lurking behind the restrained stance. It was obvious that this woman would enjoy the prospect of killing Tess. Finally Jerikor noticed a slight smirk playing around the corners of Chiroshi's mouth, _'she thought Tess was unarmed', _Jerikor realised, barely containing his own smirk.... it will defiantly be a surprise for Chiroshi.

Whilst all these thoughts were going through Jerikor's head, Tess was thinking almost the same thing; great minds think alike, and now that Tess had calmed down, she was aware of everything.

_'Good luck!' _Tess heard Ehlissa's voice in her head before she slipped into a dream-like stance that she normally had when she fought. Salvatore (there was no referee) hit the bell and the match started. Tess watched calmly as her opponent let out a deafening battle scream and launched herself towards Tess in a reckless attack, her blade over her head. Moving like quicksilver Tess darted forward and sideways, launching a round kick into Chiroshi's stomach, and forcing the kendo fighter to quit her attack to avoid Tess' kick. Tess didn't let up however, and quickly followed up with a series of quick punches and short kicks that left the kendo fighter open and battered from the flurry.

Chiroshi's eyes widened at the speed of her opponent. She was almost too fast to follow and Chiroshi could barely protect herself...she needed to attack and soon, she knew that a single strike would be all she needed to gain victory, and that one strike would kill this upstart. Chiroshi took a step back and a deep breath, letting out another battle cry whilst her opponent waited calmly for her next move.

Tess watched as Chiroshi took a step back to regain her breath and let out another battle scream. _'That was getting irritating'_, Tess thought as she herself took a deep breath. Things were looking good. Her opponent was clearly not fast enough to react to Tess, and although she had managed to avoid any heavy blows, Tess knew that she wouldn't hold out for much longer. She must end this quickly; she remembered another lesson of Jerikor's...

"In a real fight, you must take down your opponent in a single strike, for against good opponents, one strike is all you'll get" he had said. Remembering her Sifu's words, Tess focussed her mind and got ready for the next attack.

Chiroshi launched her self forward again, although not nearly so recklessly and unleashed a barrage of strikes aiming for Tess' head, Tess' eyes widened at her opponents new burst of speed, and barely managed to dodge all her attacks. The last attack was a feint and as Tess avoided the blade, she felt the blade bite into her stomach. Tess quickly leaped back and gasped as she saw blood pouring from a large wound in her stomach. _'Great another scar' _crossed Tess' mind as she saw the triumph in her opponents eyes. Holding one hand to her stomach to lessen the blood flow, Tess straightened, waiting for the next attack. It came quickly as Chiroshi attempted to decapitate Tess in a single horizontal strike. Tess calmly raised her arm and trusted that the metal gauntlets would hold. Sparks flew as the metal clashed and Chiroshi's eyes widened as she saw her sword glance off her opponents arm. Tess reached down and grabbed Chiroshi's arm and twisted it savagely, forcing her opponent to drop her sword, and then still holding her opponent's arm performed a mighty roundhouse kick that launched Chiroshi out of the arena and against a wall. Tess gasped as the pain hit her, and promptly fainted in the middle of the ring.

Tess woke up several hours later, in the darkened room that she and Jerikor were sharing. She groaned as she felt the stabbing pain in her side and slowly moved around to get more comfortable.

"Ah, so you're finally awake." Jerikor said from her bedside.

"How long have I been out?"

"About 5 hours, you gave me a scare there, although Salvatore's doctors are quite good," he told her.

'You won't be able to fight tomorrow with that wound,' Tess heard Ehlissa's voice in her head. Jerikor suddenly looked at her piercingly, he sensed something else was with Tess, something he couldn't quite pin point, almost another presence. 'However, I know a way that you can heal that wound in an instant!' Ehlissa said enthusiastically.

'I can't use magick here! Salvatore will find out!' Tess told Ehlissa quickly.

'No worries, ask Jerikor if he can cut the cameras like he did last night.'

'He cut the cameras?' Tess asked.

'Yes, he didn't want you two to be watched during your...coupling.'

'And I suppose you enjoyed that,' Tess said darkly.

'Why yes, as a matter of fact I did, especially when you two...'

"Shut up!" Tess said aloud, before gasping when she realised she had said it aloud. She heard Ehlissa's laughter echoing in her head and darkly vowed to get her back.

"You alright?" Jerikor asked, still watching her sharply.

"Uhm, do you know a way to cut the cameras?" she asked nervously.

He looked startled, then nodded. "I do."

"Then could you cut them now?"

He looked at her once more before nodding, and slightly frowning. "There it's done. Now tell me why."

She quickly got up and stripped, then took the wrapping off her wound. She winced at the sight of the cut; it was large and had almost severed a couple of important organs. Concentrating, she quietly muttered under her breath, "Baraz Untar." Slowly before her eyes, the healing process accelerated, and the wound was closed in moments. She replaced the wrapping and re-dressed; drained by the effort.

"Wake me up when I'm needed, Jerikor." She said sleepily before drifting off into a contended sleep.

The next day, Tess was back in the ring, feeling wonderfully healed and ready to fight. She was wearing her metal gloves and watching her opponent closely to try and gain as much information as possible before the fight. Her opponent was Korean called Kie and was a top-notch killer for a large Triad group. She was average height, about 5 and a half-foot and had a slight build. She seemed to be unarmed, but then again, so did Tess.

The fight began moments later, Tess still having no real idea of how Kie fought and how she could go about beating her. Kie stood calmly, obviously waiting for Tess to make the first move. Deciding to start, Tess slowly moved forward, her arms raised and ready for any blow. When Kie still did not react, Tess decided to go for it, and sprang forward quickly, her arm extended in front of her, aiming for Kie's head. One blow was all she needed. Tess sensed rather than saw Kie's counter attack, a kick that would hit her before she could hit Kie. Aborting the attack, Tess quickly rolled out of the path of the kick and regained her feet. Kie was fast! A completely different class of fighter than Chiroshi, Tess realised. Kie was still standing, waiting for Tess to attack. Deciding to try again, Tess repeated her attack, but this time, she led with a kick. Kie smirked at her opponent's bravado, and punished her for it, catching the foot in a hand, and launching her own kick that smashed Tess into the ground. Kie gave Tess time to get to her feet, before launching her own attack, a series of rapid kicks that left Tess dazed and battered. Tess knew that she couldn't win at this range, her opponent clearly had a reach advantage, and her kicks were too fast to block properly. Clearing her mind, Tess raised her guard and closed in on Kie. Kie's rapid kicks mainly rebounded off the solid guard that Tess was using, and Tess rapidly closed the range, before unleashing her own offensive. Tess unleashed a rapid combo of punches that Kie was hard-pressed to block. Tess kept on closing the distance until she was in grappling range, where she grabbed a handful of Kie's shirt and brought her down to the ground. Surprised by the throw, Kie was unable to squirm out of Tess' iron grip, and slammed into the ground with vicious force. Still holding onto Kie, Tess twisted quickly, and launched the small Korean again, slamming her into the ground again, before a final throw launched the Korean out of the ring, and out of the fight.

Thunderous applause wrapped around Tess, and she saw Salvatore looking disappointed which cheered her up to no end. Then, sensing someone staring at her she spun quickly, scanning the crowd. Her eyes locked onto the eyes of another girl. She was around the same age as Tess; her long black hair framed a smooth oval face with brown eyes. There was a hint of arrogance in the face, and a smirk hovered around her mouth. She was dressed in a long elaborate black dress, which was laced with white and gold. Tess immediately recognised Salvatore's features in this girl's face. The girl gave a nod, and then indicated with her eyes one of the antechambers that surrounded the arena, before vanishing into the crowd. Tess quickly left the hall, and made for the room.

Tess entered the room moments later, and sensed the girl's presence in the shadows.

"You can come out," Tess said, pointedly staring into the shadows. Without a sound the girl came out of the shadows and stood before Tess, her arms held behind her back.

"Who are you?" Tess asked bluntly.

"I am Rebecca Salvatore, granddaughter of Don Salvatore," the girl said quietly. "And you don't need to introduce yourself, Tessera Ardroimas, formerly of the Iscariots."

Tess' eyes glinted dangerously as she flexed her hands, "How do you know?"

"I have many sources of information. The old fool leaves me far too much freedom."

"What do you want with me?"

"I want a barter," Rebecca said simply.

"Barter?" Tess asked.

'Careful,' Tess heard Ehlissa's voice in her head, 'This one is sharp.'

"Yes, I have information you need, and I require your services."

"Explain."

"My grandfather plans to have you and your master killed tomorrow night, because he knows that you will win the tournament, and he has a large amount of money staked on another contestant. Sally Beth Roe."

"That's hardly worth knowing. You may know who I am, but I doubt all of Salvatore's men put together could defeat my Sifu."

Rebecca shrugged, "I am also to be your next opponent, but I know you will defeat me, and I would rather remain in good health. I will also bow out, meaning that the final will take place tomorrow, which foils my grandfather's plans."

"Okay, so far you've skipped around what you want me to do."

"I want you and your master to kill the old fool," Rebecca said calmly, although anger glinted in her eyes.

"Uhm, I don't know if you know why me and my Sifu left the Iscariots, but I can assure you that the parting was far from friendly. We came here for sanctuary. If we kill Salvatore, not only will the Iscariots be hunting us, but also the Cosa Nostra. No thank you."

Tess was about to turn when she heard Jerikor's voice in her head. 'Not so hasty, Tess, actually this is the reason I came to Corsica. We will kill Salvatore for Rebecca. No arguments.' Tess moaned in dismay.

"What's wrong?" Rebecca asked.

"You've got yourself a deal." Tess said, before leaving the room.

That night, Jerikor took Tess into one of the many rooms in the mansion. The room was filled with doors, all locked, and Jerikor went about teaching Tess how to pick locks. Thankfully, her manual dexterity made the task easily, and after a few hours of training, she could open all the locks in the room.

"Excellent, Tess. That was much faster than I had hoped." Jerikor praised her.

"Thanks, Sifu, but why am I actually learning this now?" she asked, twirling a lock pick around her fingers.

"Picking locks is a useful skill, you never know when you might need it," he said evasively.

"You're keeping secrets again," she said accusingly.

"Of course, that's my nature," he said, "It's time you got to bed, to hear things, tomorrow will be a big day."

Well, that was the second last chapter (if everything goes to plan). I don't actually like this chapter too much, and will probably re-work it later. Or maybe not. Things are very hectic now, with school starting again, so I don't know how much time I will have for my writing. But don't worry; I intend to finish this story!

Please read and review!


	8. Chapter 8: Final Farewells?

This is it, the last chapter of this story. I would like to thank all my readers and reviewers for sticking with me. I know it is really short, but don't worry, I'm already working on a sequel!

**Chapter 8: Final Farewells?**

There was silence as Rebecca Salvatore bowed to her opponent and stepped out of the ring, voluntarily conceding the victory. Rebecca nodded to Tess, who merely stood impassively in the centre of the ring, silently thankful that she did not have to fight Rebecca. Don Salvatore was in furious discussions with some of his cronies, glaring at Rebecca all the while. All the while Tess waited without changing stance and Jerikor stood leaning in the corner, his customary grin plastered across his face. Eventually, Don Salvatore allowed Rebecca's withdrawal, and then announced that the final would be taking place tonight, after dinner. With some disgruntled mutters, the crowd; made up of assorted crime bosses and other criminal scum, broke up and slowly filled out of the hall. Jerikor emerged from his dark corner, a smirk still on his face.

"Well I didn't expect that," he said as he approached Tess.

She nodded, "I have no idea why she would just give in like that. Am I that scary?"

"No, not that I noticed," Jerikor reassured her, "Come on, let's go and kill some time till tonight." With that, he turned and led her out of the hall. Tess threw a look over her shoulder, and saw Don Salvatore's face twisted with anger and hate as he glared at Jerikor's back.

As they left the hall, Tess asked Jerikor, "What exactly did you do, to make Salvatore hate you so much?"

"Hmm, actually as far as I know, nothing. I have been a servant of the Iscariots for about 200 or so years, so I do not believe I met him on a mission."

"Hang on, Anderson said that he had tried to kill you before you joined the Iscariots"

"Ah yes, I went on a holiday without telling anyone, they were rather annoyed at me, for taking time off, that and the Head Priest was a complete idiot. He could barely tell his foot from his hand, this was about 20 or so years before Enrico became the Head of Iscariot, and despite his irrational hatred of all non-humans and puritanical zeal, he's not actually too bad a priest."

"Until he betrayed you," Tess pointed out.

"Well, yes, I suppose, but everyone makes mistakes in their lives. And I expect Enrico will realise his mistake in due time."

"That still doesn't explain the hatred that Salvatore holds for you."

Jerikor shrugged nonchalantly, "That really doesn't bother me. I gave up long ago trying to understand humans, they can hate people with all their hearts without ever talking to the person they hate."

Tess was still slightly worried, but then decided that if her Sifu wasn't worried about neither would she. With that, they headed off to find something to eat, and waste some time.

Several hours later, Tess was back in the ring, facing of against a smug looking American girl. Sally Beth Roe. She was tall, but not particularly well muscled or conditioned. She was wearing a chequered shirt and jeans, slung around her waist was a belt, holding a pair of revolvers. Smith and Western .45 Tess judged by the length. So that was how she had gotten so far into this tournament, she was using pistols. Tess shrugged, she didn't care, she could shift for a few seconds to dodge the bullets and then it would all be over. Salvatore finished his introductions and raised a single white handkerchief

"When this hits the ground, the match will start!" he said, and dropped the handkerchief. The two females watched each other like hawks, waiting for the other to move first. Sally's fingers twitched before drawing her pistol in a quick smooth action and levelling it at Tess, who was already moving towards Sally at full speed, her arms raised in front of her. Sally smirked before pulling the trigger, sending a bullet speeding towards Tess. Tess dove to the left, and the bullet ricochets of the ground. Sally looked shocked. "I never miss!" she screamed before firing again and again, leaving her with a single bullet. Tess had dodged every single bullet. There was dead silence as Tess slowly walked towards the petrified Sally. Sally snapped out of her trance in an instance and fired her last bullet, impacting with Tess' arms. Her smirk was cut short as she saw the hole in Tess' glove and the bullet clattered to the ground. Her eyes widening, she drew her other pistol, but Tess was already moving. With a rapid roundhouse kick, she knocked the pistol out of Sally's hand and then with a side kick, smashed the American off her feet. Sally had fear in her eyes as Tess walked slowly towards the grounded fighter, apparently not even breathing hard. Tess stooped and picked up the fallen pistol, and threw it at Sally, a wide psychotic smirk on her face.

"And you wanted to win this competition? You're pathetic. Not even worthy of being my foe. Pick up the pistol and fight!" Tess said evilly.

"You...you...monster!" Sally screamed, raising her pistol and emptying the chambers at Tess. Tess swatted the bullets out of the air using her metal-plated gloves. Sally kept on pulling the trigger, and didn't realize the sound of the hammer hitting an empty chamber. Tess nonchalantly picked up the grounded fighter with a single hand, and threw her out of the ring.

Salvatore was gasping in surprise and was about to open his mouth, before a knife flashed out of nowhere and slit his throat. He crumpled to the ground, revealing Rebecca standing behind him, holding a bloodied knife. Jerikor let a low whistle, still leaning in his corner.

"From now on, I am leader here," she said in a ringing voice, sweeping her eyes over the paralysed crowd, "Any arguments?" And then all hell broke lose.

Shadows crashed through the windows, holding automatic weapons and opened fire on the crowd. Slaughtering many before they could even draw their own weapons. A few of the men approached Tess, swords gleaming in their hands.

"There is the first target. Kill her!" one of the shadows said, before the others charged Tess.

"Who are you guys?" Tess asked, as she dodged and weaved between the swords.

"We are God's wrath!" screamed one of them.

"Iscariots!" spat Tess before punching the nearest one in the head, shattering his skull. "Well come on, dogs!" She launched her own series of punches that left her alone, in a circle of corpses. "Jerikor?"

"Right here, Tess" Jerikor said from behind her.

"What's going on?" Tess asked, as they were forced to duck under rock as automatic fire racked their position.

"It seems Rebecca betrayed us to the Iscariots. They are apparently rather annoyed with us," he said calmly, looking at the carnage of the dead gangsters. "I can understand her tactic. She's going to kill all the other crime lords, so that she is the only one who survived, and therefore the only one with any power."

"Why?"

"Because she wants power." He said simply, before pressing a pair of pistols into her hands. Both were Glock 18s with silencers. "We need to get out of here, while chaos is still reigning"

She nodded, and followed Jerikor out of the hall, unleashing a salvo of bullets from her guns to cover their escape. Although she wasn't particularly good with guns, she still managed to hit several of the Iscariot soldiers, and send the rest ducking for cover. They reached the door, which was locked. Jerikor snorted derisively, and tore the door off it's hinges and hurled it at the Iscariots.

"Come on, let's go, before the Regenerators get here," Jerikor said, leading Tess from the room.

"They're here? The Regenerators?" Tess said, panicking slightly.

"Don't worry. I'm blocking our presence, so they have to look for us manually."

"Which exit are we going to use?"

Jerikor furrowed his brow in thought, as they rushed past the remnants of the gangsters, who were fighting a losing battle against the better-equipped Iscariot soldiers. "I think in the western wing, there was an outlet for the air-ducts. That's our best bet, if we reach it, we can exit the building well outside the defensive perimeter that they've set up."

With that the two disappeared down a side corridor and stealthily avoided the Iscariot patrols. There were a few minor run-ins, but the soldiers were quickly silenced before they could radio for help. Tess was beginning to enjoy using her guns, and she had quickly learnt the intricacies of the two Glocks. She was almost looking forward to using them against the helpless soldiers. Jerikor halted suddenly, and Tess, lost in her dream world, bumped into his back.

"What is it?" she whispered.

"Regenerators," he hissed. Tess peeked out from behind Jerikor, and saw them waiting. There were three of them, and Tess didn't recognise any of them. They were armed with an assortment of swords; mostly two-handed were alert and ready. The headless corpses of a few gangsters were already piled nearby, showing that the regenerators knew how to handle their weapons.

"What do we do?"

"If they have this exit covered, then the other exits will be guarded as well. We need to get past these three and exit the building as fast as possible. I have an idea." He said, ducking back around the corner, and he begun rummaging around his pockets. He pulled out a piece of paper, and scribbled on it. "When we get out of here, we will need to part ways"

"What?" Tess said, not believing her ears. "No, you can't be serious."

"I am. They are looking for me, and only me. You're a small fish in their eyes," he handed her the piece of paper, "When you get out, head towards Tokyo, Japan. There are a couple of people I know, who owe me a few favours. Find a bar called 'Palace of the Emperor' and give this to the barman. After that, you'll be looked after, and I'll try and get to you." As he was talking, his purple eyes began glowing with light, and an aura was surrounding him.

"Je...Jerikor, what are you going to do?" Tess asked haltingly.

He smiled sadly and strode around the corner before Tess could do anything.

"Ha! Petty mortals!" He boomed, "Turn and see death incarnate approach thee!" The three regenerators turned towards Jerikor and launched themselves at him. Jerikor raised his arms, and beams of glowing light appeared from his fists, as he blocked the first attack and savagely decapitated the first regenerator in a single stroke. Tess, still paralysed with shock didn't move. "MOVE!" Jerikor yelled, as a sword entered his stomach, blood poured from the wound, but Jerikor quickly cut of the arms of the offending Regenerator and drew the sword out of his stomach. But more were coming.

Tess was moving before she had time to think, she darted across the hallway, and dived through the air vent. Rolling to absorb the impact, she quickly sprinted out of the duct, into the fresh air of outside.

Back inside, Jerikor was rapidly weakening, but still savagely effective. His psychotic smirk didn't leave his face, and he waded through the mass of priests trying to kill him, disembowelling and decapitating any who got in his way. Stunned by his ferocity, the Regenerators fell back. "Is there no one, who wants to fight me?" Jerikor roared.

"If ye looking for a fight, fallen, ye've found ye last!" a Scottish voice growled from behind him. Jerikor spun, but it was too late; Alexander's blades punctured Jerikor's heart. "This be your last minutes, fallen, spend them begging to God for forgiveness!" Alexander said.

Jerikor just smirked, and raised a remote, with a single button. "If I'm going to hell Alexander, I'll be damned if I'm going alone!" With a last psychotic grin, he pushed the button, and the world exploded into fire and flame.

Tess was flung to her feet, as the mansion exploded into a huge fireball. She spun, and saw the building collapse.

"NNOOOOOOO!" she screamed, sobbing hysterically. Then stood up, she was about to run into the flames, when strong hands held her back.

Rebecca stood behind her, holding her arms pinned to her side. "Don't go. No one could of survived that, not even your Sifu."

"I can't accept that, he can't die, he's not dead!"

"Listen to me. What's more important, you dying, or carrying out his last wishes?"

"You" Tess muttered, her sorrow replaced with rage, "you...you...you can talk, you betrayed us!"

"No I didn't, I wouldn't betray my own sister." Rebecca said sadly.

"You betrayed us, you betrayed..." Rebecca's words sunk through Tess' subconscious, and somewhere, she knew it was true. "But, I, but I was adapted."

"Yes you were, but you like me, never had a real family. We were test subjects for one of Salvatore's mad schemes. He wanted soldiers who were perfectly loyal, and had capabilities beyond human norms. So he hired or kidnapped the best genetic scientists in the world, and set them to work. We are the only two surviving members of the experiment. I feigned loyalty, to win Salvatore's trust, and hid you away as soon as possible, sending you to an orphanage in Rome. But then you were found by the Iscariots..." Rebecca trailed off.

"You...you're lying!" Tess screamed.

"I'm not, you know it's true"

"I can't accept that!"

A cold voice spoke from the shadows, "She is correct."

Tess spun towards the shadow, drawing her pistols. "Who's there?"

A man stepped forward from the shadows, cross and blades gleaming red in the glow from the massive fire behind them. A man Tess recognised. "Anrath!" she snarled

Anrath laughed manically, "You are nothing compared to the holy science of the Vatican. And I will end your pathetic existence today!" He launched himself at Tess.

Tess dropped her guns, knowing that they would be useless, and clenched her fists. To Tess' surprise three blades sprung from the back of the gloves and extended a foot away from her fists. Tess gasped as she heard her Sifu's voice in her head.

"You must escape Tess. You must escape to Japan. Don't worry about me. These are the last gifts that I can give you. Use them to keep yourself alive and remember me. Remember me."

Tess snapped back to the present, and felt hatred flow through her veins. These...these Iscariots had separated her from the only man she would ever love, and she wanted revenge. She would hunt down every single one of them, and kill them, show them the real meaning of fear and revenge her lover's soul. Her hatred gave her strength, and she sprung forward, a blur of movement, with a deadly purpose. Anrath had time to gasp before his body was torn asunder by Tess' claws. She cut through his body like a hot knife through butter, slicing his entire body into bloody strips of meat. Tess stood up, and looked at Rebecca with death in her eyes.

"If I ever see you again, I will kill you in the most painful way I can think of" Tess growled, before disappearing into the night.

Back at the burnt wreckage of the mansion, there was a slight stirring in the ashes. A hand burst through the burnt wood and stone, and begun to dig itself free...

Well that's it folks. The final chapter in the story. I would like to thank everyone who read through my drivel and stuck with me to the end. Look forward to Confessions of an Iscariot: Hunter the sequel to this series in the near future, but first I'm writing through a Love Hina fic. But never fear, I will return! Muhahahaha! Please send any suggestions, death threats, praises, curses and reviews, as they are well received and are all read!

I would especially like to thank cryearthstearsfalltou for helping me get through this, and encouraging me in the darkest hours, thanks! hugs

And of course to all those people who read this, and to all those who reviewed a heart felt thank you.

I'll be seeing you all around!

Below is a sneak peek of the sequel!


End file.
